


Incoming Messages

by hunnyfresh



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Drama, F/F, Humor, Romance, Sexual Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-20
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-26 05:35:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 44,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/647108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunnyfresh/pseuds/hunnyfresh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby makes Emma a dating profile. The only catch is that she's listed as a guy. That wouldn't be such a problem if Emma hadn't found Regina's profile and begins communicating with the Mayor</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any recognizable characters
> 
> AN: I don't know where this came from. I've been watching that Singlebrooke Dating Service video on youtube far too many times.

Regina knew something was up by the way Henry and Kathryn walked into her office. The mischievous and scheming grins and glances they threw one another alerted the Mayor that they had a plan involving her and she was sure wouldn't like it. She glared between the two, switching her glance between her son and friend to see which would cave first.

"Regina," Kathryn spoke in a soothing hear-me-out tone. "We have something we want to run by you."

"The both of you?" Regina asked skeptically.

"Yup." Henry grinned.

The smile on his face made the brunette falter just a bit. Perhaps she could be open-minded to whatever their plan was.

"We think it'd be good if you got out more," the blonde said. The tilt of Regina's head and her raised eyebrow made her continue. "On a more personal level."

"I have no idea what you're referring to," Regina said with a shake of her head and continued to type on her laptop.

"Like a date," Henry answered.

Regina whipped her head up. "Excuse me?"

"Maybe you'll find True Love," the boy offered with a shrug. "That's all anybody wants anyway."

The Mayor turned her head to question the blonde. "You set me up on a date?"

"No!" Kathryn rushed to clarify. "No, I know that you'd like to be the one to initiate that sort of thing, but we. . ."

She trailed off as if re-evaluating her plan.

"What is it?" Regina questioned in her authoritative tone.

Kathryn winced, clearly wanting to retreat to the safety of her home and forget all that she and Henry had planned.

"We signed you up for a dating website!" Henry exclaimed.

Regina's eyes darkened as she glared at her soon to be ex-friend. She spoke slowly and enunciated her words. "You did what?"

"It's not necessarily just for dating, Regina." Kathryn pulled out a chair in front of the desk and sat. "It can be for pen pals, friendships, and yes, dating can occur."

The Mayor leaned toward her son and spoke kindly but firmly. "Henry, will you wait outside for me please?"

Henry stole a glance at Kathryn before sitting down in the empty chair beside her. "It was my idea too."

Regina rolled her eyes and sighed. Apparently the two had learned to gang up on her.

"We've made you a profile. Don't worry, we didn't use any personal pictures and your name isn't explicitly stated."

"I came up with a cool username," Henry stated proud of himself.

"Singlebrooke Dating Service is a legitimate website. I checked it out," Kathryn continued and pulled out a pen and a scrap piece of paper from her purse before jotting down some information. "And your profile already has some hits."

This intrigued the Mayor as she accepted the paper with her username and password. "MadameRegal?" She looked up skeptically.

"Cool, huh?" Henry beamed.

Regina pursed her lips and placed the paper off to the side of her desk. "I will look over the profile and will decide whether or not I will be keeping the account."

Henry grinned and hopped out of the chair followed by Kathryn. He looked up to the older woman as they exited the office. "She's gonna keep it."

* * *

 

Emma sat at her desk, relaxing with her feet up and a bear claw in her hand. These were the perks of being the Sheriff of a small town. Getting paid to do nothing. Just as she was about to take a bite of her pastry, Ruby, her part-time deputy, stuck her head in with a massive grin.

"Sooo," Ruby said waltzing into the office and sitting down.

Emma paused her bear claw track. "What?"

"So I was bored last week," Ruby began, "and I may have had a little fun at your expense."

Emma removed her boots off the desk and dropped the pastry back in the box. "Did you do anything that might get me fired?"

"No, of course not. I said fun, not career suicide."

Emma leaned back again and picked up the bear claw. She took a big bite and spoke around the food. "What did you do?"

Ruby grinned wickedly. "I used your traits on a dating profile."

Emma coughed and choked on the pastry. Once her throat was cleared she sputtered. "You did what?!"

"Relax, I didn't use everything about you," the young brunette said casually. "Just everything except your name and gender."

"Wait, my gender?" Emma leaned forward dumbfounded.

"I said you were a guy," Ruby shrugged and picked up a donut for herself. "A lot of ladies have been wanting to chat with you all week."

The blonde gave her friend an incredulous look. "Why are you telling me this?"

Ruby wiggled her eyebrows. "Maybe you'd like to chat with the ladies too."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Apparently I'm a guy."

"A popular guy."

Ruby stood and walked over to Emma's side of the desk, clicking away on her laptop.

" _Singlebrooke Dating Service?_ " Emma read the screen with a laugh. "Seriously?"

"Singles in Storybrooke." Ruby dismissed quickly. She logged into Emma's account and stood proud. "Voila."

"KnightInRustyArmour." Emma laughed. "You couldn't have come up with anything better, Rubes?"

Ruby winked and turned to go. "You'll thank me one day."

"I doubt it," Emma mumbled and roamed over the site.

She clicked on her profile and wasn't surprised that Ruby hadn't included a picture. She was surprised by the number of messages it received even with the lack of one. _Ruby must have written one hell of a profile._

She skimmed through until she reached it, reading it with fascinated wide eyes.

_Early 30 year old blonde with a sense of humor that has been said rivals a child's. Loves to travel and adventures, but takes a snack and a DVD over it any day. Quite intelligent past the surface and never afraid to form an opinion. I'm a kind person and although protective of myself, I'm becoming more open with the formations of friendships. I'd say I'm worth it when you get to know me. Looking for a person who is open-minded, intelligent and not afraid of a stubborn me._

Emma shook her head in laughter after reading her profile. Ruby was creative when she was bored, Emma would give her that. What the brunette had written described Emma accurately and she was pleased to note that she didn't sound half bad.

Curiosity got the better of the Sheriff, so she clicked on her inbox messages.

_Read ur profile. Would LOVE 2 meet with u! ;)_

Emma scrunched up her nose. That was jail bait if she ever heard of it. She deleted it immediately.

_I wouldn't mind shining up your armor._

Emma laughed and clicked the next one.

_It seems you have some issues opening up to people. That's really sweet and sensitive, and hopefully one day you could open up to me._

Nice, but sensitive? Emma? No way. Delete.

Emma groaned at the numerous messages and just skimmed through the rest. It's not like she'd actually be using the site at all. It was just to look.

So look, she did. Browsing through random files, Emma's attention was caught on a certain MadameRegal.

_I'm in my late 30s, attractive and a brunette. I am a single mother of 1, and my son is an extremely important part of my life. Men fearing children need not reply. My career is in politics-_

Emma paused. This sounded strangely familiar.

_My career is in politics, with my position being of great authority. Many are ruled under my thumb, so it's easy to see why I can be perceived as intimidating. In truth, I'm just looking for the right person for companionship. I am not a shy person, but I am private. I value my son, above all else, with honesty and integrity following._

Emma furrowed her brow. It couldn't be.

_Those brave enough to reply, please don't waste your time if none of the listed above are to your liking._

Yup. Emma leaned back in her chair with wide eyes. That's Regina's profile. So Regina was looking for some love. Well, that was an interesting development.

Emma reread through her profile twice more before deducing that it was, in fact, Regina. Emma couldn't stomach the fact that the Mayor was looking for a little love in her life. Love that was not coming from her.

Though Regina's profile said 'attractive', Emma resolved long ago that the brunette was drop dead gorgeous. Attractive was more than an understatement.

Emma leaned back in her chair, her fingers steepled under her chin in contemplation. Well, there was only one way to know for sure if it was Regina. The obvious answer was to message her. If it wasn't, no harm no foul. And if it was, then Emma would get the chance to talk to her without it resulting in an argument, though she did love those, but it'd be the one chance to get to know the brunette.

What to do, what to do.

Before she knew it Emma had clicked on the 'Message' button on Regina's page. The window popped up, daring Emma to send the brunette an email. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard and began to type.


	2. Chapter 2

Regina stared blankly at the bolded icon in her inbox proclaiming that she had mail from Storybrooke Dating Service. She had inspected her profile the day before and found it to her liking. Why she didn't delete the account in its entirety was a mystery to the brunette. Perhaps a part of her wanted to find someone, or the more plausible answer was that she didn't want to disappoint Henry.

Still, the two small letters comprising the word 'Hi' in the subject bar made Regina's heart beat that much faster. Before reading the email, she clicked the username hyperlink to inspect the sender's profile.

_Adventurous, intelligent, opinionated_

Truth be told, Regina wouldn't have given that profile a second glance, but based on the compatibility rating accompanied with the email, a 92% seemed quite astounding.

She glanced around the office to make sure her doors were closed before clicking on the email.

_Dear MadameRegal,_

_I have to be honest and say I've never done anything like this before. Do I get bonus points for honesty? Bad joke, I know, but hopefully that'll ease the nerves away._

_I found your profile, and I'd really like to get to know you better. From what I got you're a hard working mother. Your son is lucky to have someone like you. You'll be pleased to note that I'm not a child-fearing man. I'm actually pretty decent with kids. More bonus points?_

_Since I'm messaging you, I guess I should buff myself up in the hopes you'll see something you like. I could tell you that I'm the long walks on the beach type of person, but that would be a lie, though I wouldn't mind pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. I'm pretty guarded myself, in every sense of the word. Not many family or friends have graced my life. I know I sound like some anti-social freak, but I'm honestly not that bad. I can give you some referrals if you'd like._

_I'm a closeted lit snob and have an affinity for classic rock. I've turned you off with my choice in music, haven't I? Have no fear. I am open to other genres. I understand that over the internet people only post their best qualities, but I think it's fair to you that I can admit some of my faults. It is hard for me to get close to people. I think that's what attracted me most to your profile, that you're private as well. Since I've got those referrals handy, it's safe to say that I'm getting better. I can be a little hard-headed, but who isn't nowadays? To leave off on a good note, a good quality of mine is that I'm pretty good on putting a smile on people's faces. Maybe there's one on yours now?_

_I hope my bravery means something._

_Regards,_

_KnightInRustyArmour_

Regina's heart fluttered as she read and reread the email, smiling to herself at the thought that someone took the time to send her a message genuinely wanting to get to know her.

Should she reply? She'd admit that she was hesitant to respond, but it was a surprisingly large small town and the identity could be anyone. Even she couldn't pinpoint who her messenger was based on his profile and email, and even still, their distorted memories made it all the more difficult to weed out individuals. Her mouse hovered over the 'reply' button. What harm could one email do?

Taking a deep breath and steadying her jaw, Regina clicked 'reply'.

* * *

 

Emma was waiting on her order at Granny's when her phone vibrated in her pocket. She fished it out and tapped the screen where she was met with her email icon flashing.

The blonde's eyes widened when she noticed the reply to her email. She stared at it for a long while, mentally preparing herself for a rejection. Wait, the Mayor wouldn't automatically reject her. She didn't know KnightInRustyArmour was Emma. But then again, it was the Mayor she was talking about, and she'd be quick to dismiss mere peasants like her.

"Here you go," Ruby said with a smile, dropping Emma's take out bag on the counter.

Emma quickly stashed her phone in her pocket before mumbling her thanks and grabbing the bag. She all but sprinted out the door and to the Sheriff's station, eager and frightened to read the email in peace.

Upon arriving at the station, Emma left her lunch untouched on her desk and placed her phone beside it, staring at it with bated breath.

_Toughen up, Swan, it's just an email._

Picking up her phone, Emma pressed her unopened email.

**Dear KnightInRustyArmour,**

**It was a bad joke, but I'll let it slide for now. I do, however, appreciate the honestly. I myself am new to this internet camaraderie as well. This seems to be the first time I'm sending a personal email and not some budget report, so forgive me if I sound rather formal.**

**If honesty is a trait we both adhere to, I have to admit that my son is in one of those stay-away-from-me phases. I hope he grows out of it soon. So my motherhood didn't have you running for the hills? I didn't expect someone to answer a profile of a single mother. It appears you do have a small amount of bravery to approach an independent single mother.**

**I assume long walks on the beach must be difficult to do in that rusty armour of yours. I do know what it feels like to have little to no familial connections in one's life, so you're not alone in that respect. I may take you up on those referrals, however.**

**You had me up until your admission for rock. Can I persuade you to listen to some Beethoven? You are honest. I like that. And yes, even stubbornness can be forgiven every now and then. Try not to make it a habit though. As for that smile, I guess the air of mystery and not knowing is useful in this case. The uncertainty is enticing, isn't it?**

**To add something about myself, between my work and my son, I try to cook as often as possible, learning new recipes or perfecting old ones. It's quite a passion of mine.**

**I haven't had a relationship for a very long time, and I doubt I am ready for one just yet. The position is still open for friendship if you're interested.**

**P.S. Your bravery has earned you points.**

**Sincerely,**

**MadameRegal**

Emma was grinning like a fool by the time she was through reading the email. Not only had Regina not rejected her, but had responded positively to it and was even funny about it. Who knew? Already, Emma had learned something new about the feared Mayor, and it pleased her to notice how easy-going Regina was in the email. There was something about being open to a person you very well could never meet that made you want to put yourself out there.

Emma paused in her ascent to an emotional high when she realized one very fatal thing. Shit. Regina thought she was a _man._ Dejected, the Sheriff slumped in her chair. Honesty was the one thing Regina asked for, and posing under false pretenses was a major lie.

_Dammit._

She couldn't not reply now. Regina would be expecting an email, and Emma found it was her duty to give her such. But if Regina ever found out. . .

Emma dropped her head on her desk. This was a bad idea. Creeping on her dating profile was one thing, sending her a response to said profile was another thing, but continuing to communicate with the woman was a whole other issue entirely.

She pulled her head back up and eyed her phone. They could just be friends. Like pen pals. Except over the internet. That's all Regina wanted anyway. No need to actually meet. If flirtatious banter arose then so be it, but absolutely no meeting.

Resolved, Emma pulled out her lunch and took a quick bite before hitting the reply button.

 


	3. Chapter 3

_MadameRegal,_

_RE: Friendship Position_

_Qualifications:_

_\- Able to lend an ear to listen_

_\- Sturdy shoulder to cry on_

_\- A hand to high five_

_\- Available for babysitting should you decide to date_

_\- Will watch most movies save for Nicholas Sparks_

_I hope you'll find my qualifications to fill the role of friend to be to your liking. Of course, I wouldn't be opposed should another position arise._

_Better?_

_I will make you laugh one day. I promise you that. That being said with the hazards of the internet, you wouldn't happen to be a serial killer, closeted pervert? I swear I am neither of the listed above._

_As for your son, let me guess. Pre-teen? 12 years old? As soon as he turns 16 you're going to be his best friend when he wants to take the car out. Though I imagine you to be quite the backseat driver when it comes to the protection of your baby boy. It's a good thing, really. Just trust that he'll drive back to you. I can't honestly provide an accurate depiction of what my 12-year old self did with my family. I wasn't very close with my parents and I haven't seen them in a very long time. And no, your motherhood doesn't scare me. I would be terrified of messing up my kid, but the thought's crossed my mind once or twice in the last year._

_Clever, with the armour reference. A friend came up with the name, and I'm not creative enough to change it. But MadameRegal, huh? It's like chatting with a queen while I'm just the lowly peasant._

_I guess I'll elaborate a bit more about myself. I moved around a lot as a kid, so I didn't really learn how to make friends until I was out on my own. To keep to the air of mystery, I won't explicitly tell you what my job is, but it does have me going around Storybrooke on a good day. Am I a florist making delivery runs? A fisherman with a good catch? Or dare I say, Mr. Gold scoping the land to build on? I'll give and say I am not the latter. You can rest easy without the visual aid of Mr. Gold on a date._

_My favourite colour is red. I've recently discovered the joys of a homecooked meal (perhaps you can virtually teach me). I know how to fix cars. My favourite book is Tom Sawyer. My favourite movie is Kill Bill._

_I'm looking forward to hearing your response about the position._

_Regards,_

_KnightInRustyArmour_

* * *

 

Regina was walking down the supermarket aisle, grocery shopping with Kathryn with Henry lagging along behind them playing games on her phone.

"So," Kathryn spoke with a knowing grin, "I noticed you hadn't taken down your profile."

Regina rolled her eyes and reached for a head of lettuce. "That would be correct."

Kathryn bumped hips with the Mayor and was rewarded with a glare which she promptly ignored. "Did someone catch your eye?" The blonde's jaw dropped in pleasant surprise when Regina turned away with pursed lips. "Someone did!"

"Was this not your aim all along?" Regina questioned, moving to the deli section and asking for four chicken breasts.

"I didn't expect you to meet someone so soon," Kathryn admitted, reaching over to take the wrapped meat and handing it to the Mayor.

Regina made a face that could constitute as her version of a blush, which only made her friend's grin widened. Before she could respond, Henry called out to her. "Mom? You have a message. From KnightIn-"

Regina's eyes widened and she quickly stalked over to her son and snatched the phone from his hand. Looking at the device to quickly lock it from any prying eyes, she straightened, brushing her hair back with a dignified huff.

"Was that from the dating thing?" Henry asked curiously.

"Unless you know any other knights in Storybrooke," Kathryn teased coming to stand beside her friend.

"Well there's Emma," Henry mused to himself. "She's the White Knight in my book."

"Henry, why don't you go pick out something for your snack?" Regina interrupted, giving the boy a nudge.

She didn't turn towards the blonde until she knew for sure Henry was well out of sight.

"So you're emailing a knight?" Kathryn chided.

Regina sighed aggravated though continued her shopping. "His pen name is KnightInRustyArmour. He contacted me, in fact."

"How long have you been emailing?" asked the blonde as they headed toward the checkout.

"This will be the third email between the two of us," Regina answered, a hint of excitement in her voice at wanting to read her new message. She was still on the cautious and skeptical side, but if events didn't go her way, it shouldn't be difficult to find out the identity of the sender when living in a small, cursed town. She was sure Sidney could dig something up, but there was a pleased feeling within her that believed she wouldn't need the lovesick reporter's help.

Kathryn paused the woman in her tracks with a gentle hand on her arm and a warm smile on her face. "I wish you the best, Regina."

The brunette inhaled sharply at the sincerity in her friend's voice. All she could offer in return was a hesitant smile and nod before Henry joined them, sneaking in chocolate pudding into his mother's basket.

* * *

The three hours after receiving the email at the store was the longest wait of her life. She couldn't view it as they were checking out, on the car ride home, while making dinner then eating with Henry, so Regina waited until the boy had yelled 'good night' from the top of the steps to log into her home computer, eager to read her new message.

Her face widened into an instant smile from the first few lines alone. The friendship resume had her grinning so wide her cheeks hurt. She had to admit, she did appreciate his humour. The promise to make her laugh was already accomplished.

It appeared that her mystery partner was aware of the phases of a child. Perhaps he had children of his own or was around them quite frequently. It alleviated some stress for her to learn that he too didn't grow up in a conventional family type. It was one more thing they had in common.

She laughed out loud when he teased her with his identity and shuddered at the thought that he could be Mr. Gold. Despite not outright stating who he was, she found herself intrigued to find out.

She tapped her chin in thought, unable to come up with an answer. Instead, she quickly hit the reply button.

* * *

Emma was sitting in her apartment with a giant bowl of cereal cradled between her legs. It sucked whenever her roommate had projects to grade. It left Emma alone with little resources or willpower to make a suitable dinner.

So the Sheriff found herself on the couch with a bowl of Lucky Charms. The beeping of her phone had her looking up excitedly. She rushed over to the table where it rested, sloshing milk out of the side of her bowl in the process.

She tapped into her emails, eager to read Regina's latest message.

**Mr. Knight,**

**You'll be pleased to know that after careful consideration, I find your resume suitable at best, though your no-Nicholas Sparks rule may need to change if you want the job that badly. Your resume will be kept on file should a better position come up.**

Emma grinned. Was the Mayor being flirtatious? She sure hoped so.

**I assure you, I am neither a serial killer nor a pervert, though some may call me a heart breaker. Rest assured, your livelihood is safe.**

**Close, he's 10 and already believes that I am out to get him. I remember a time where I was his best friend, and he used to talk my ear off with every little event that went on in his day. Now the only thing he is interested in is me finding a companion, possibly to get me away from him.**

Emma squinted at Regina's words. She could feel the sadness and slight rant the woman was putting into her message and mentally concocted ways to talk to Henry.

**For a person without family you seem to know the inner workings of a child (that's not an insult). I lost my father a long time ago, and my mother long before that. Honestly, I was frightened I would be a mother like her. I'm not sure if I effectively ran from my fear or ran straight into it.**

Emma leaned over her phone as she read, tilting her head in contemplation. It never occurred to her than Regina had parents. Obviously she knew Regina had parents, but she never wondered what they were like. And to think that Regina was afraid of her mother? That sounded like an abused child if she ever heard of it, and Emma was all too familiar with it.

**MadameRegal has grown on me, but I'll admit that a friend of mine conned me into this.**

**Ah, the mystery of your job. I suppose I could cheat and cross-reference any jobs that require blondes to travel around Storybrooke but where's the fun in that? Hmm, let's see. You wouldn't happen to the school bus driver? Or perhaps the local mail man? Am I warm?**

Emma laughed out loud. The Mayor was so off.

**If you truly want a lesson I've attached one of my favourite baked macaroni and cheese recipes. It's simple enough but will make those around you see you as an Iron Chef. If I get word of any fires in any kitchen, I'll finally know my mystery correspondent.**

She playfully narrowed her eyes offended. She wasn't that bad of a cook, she thought as she slurped up her cereal milk. She winced. Lessons wouldn't be so bad though.

**Mark Twain is a classic, though your taste in movies give me pause. First no Nicholas Sparks and you're a Tarantino fan? I might reconsider your resume.**

**I love to garden. I have an extensive collection of Victorian era literature. I sing in the shower.**

**Sincerely,**

**MadameRegal**

That last line had Emma's mind swimming. Regina sings in the shower. Regina in the shower. Regina naked in the shower. Yeah, her mind was officially blown.


	4. Chapter 4

_Honestly, MadameRegal, admitting you sing in the shower? How can you possibly think I'll settle for the friendship position now? Is it too early in my job to ask for a promotion?_

_I know what you're thinking: 'This person must be some sort of sex addict'. No. I just appreciate good singing and would like the chance at getting to hear you sing. Should the venue of your concert be in an enclosed space with a downpour and minimal clothing I wouldn't be opposed either._

_Since we're vaguely on the topic of my new career, I may be willing to negotiate on those Nicholas Sparks movies if you listen to a full album of Bon Jovi. Do we have a deal?_

_What's your son like? I know that might be invasive, but he's important to you, so he must be something special. You do a lot for the kid, so I think you've steered clear of being your mother._

_But onto lighter topics now?_

_Close in the job guessing. You would be correct in knowing that I can drive. That limits your search to everyone over the age of 16._

_I think it's unfair you get to (poorly) guess my job. What can I guess about you? Hmmm, well let's see. You like to cook, are motherly and (most definitely) a workaholic. What does a power woman like you do in her free time? Something artsy, I bet. Piano? Painting? Or something completely rebellious like sailing a boat out in the harbor? I'll be sure to stop by the music shop, the arts and crafts store and linger by the harbor during my mail runs (I've said too much!) in case I see a beautiful woman._

_You'll be pleased to note that I succeeded in making your Mac and Cheese recipe with only a handful of incidents. Did you know if you leave pasta boiling unattended the water evaporates?_

_I'm a runner. I live with a roommate. I think long distance relationships never work out._

_But I like this._

_KIRA_

* * *

 

**Knight,**

**You've only had the job for a few hours, and already you are asking for a promotion? Keep in mind that upon realizing someone sings in the shower, the most appropriate thing to ask for is benefits.**

**If I had known that the 'lending an ear' quality stated in your resume was really another way to say 'sex fiend', I would have reconsidered. But, as it is, there are no other applicants, but I do not provide job security.**

**I'll trade you The Notebook for half of that album you mentioned.**

**My son is the best thing that's ever happened to me. He is brilliant and creative to the point of sneaky, but I guess all children must grow up. I tried to put him into sports when he was younger, but whenever a practice or a game rolled around, I would find him in a makeshift fortress made of pillows, blankets and chairs, and he'd be huddled deep within it with piles of comic books. I miss those times.**

**Anyway, let's see which one we've missed. Are you a tow truck driver saving Storybrooke one stalled car at a time? Or a volunteer deputy aiding the sheriff in the minimal crime fighting of our town?**

**My mother raised me for the finer things in life, yes, but I remember I wanted to travel when I was younger. Perhaps you should linger by the docks in the event I run out of canvas and paint.**

**Well Knight, I did know that when heated water evaporates. I was this close to figuring out your identity. Have you cooked anything since then? I'd love to hear your progress and offer any tips.**

**I used to ride horses. I read comics willingly, and I'm partial to DC. My son thinks I'm crazy for it, but what does a Marvel fan know? I can't see myself getting married again.**

**P.S. Enjoy your weekend.**

**MadameRegal**

* * *

 

_Wow. Give me a moment to process the fact that you inadvertently and cleverly opened yourself up to 'benefits'. Yes, I see what you did there. Tease._

_I can't believe there weren't any other people messaging you. I mean, come on, it's you. Oh well. More time for me._

_So, I watched The Notebook, and my roommate gave me the strangest look when my lip started to quiver. I hope you're satisfied. And no, I do not accept half an album. Now you have to listen to the Bon Jovi's Crush album in its entirety. I'll be testing you on your lyric knowledge._

_I like the way you talk about your son. I can tell it's tough when he's acting up, but it's like he makes your life. I played soccer a little bit when I was younger. Maybe I can bring him out of his shell sometime. Not that I'm being presumptuous. Or maybe he just needs another way to channel his activities. Ever think of putting him in writing classes? You'd be surprised what introvert kids can write about._

_I love that all the jobs that you list are labourers. I also appreciate the fact that you don't mind it. Talk about speaking to a person from the wrong side of the tracks._

_So you paint? Abstract, scenery, portraits? Or do you go all Titanic and paint nude people? If that's the case, I volunteer. Traveling is great, seeing new places, meeting new people. It just gets lonely sometimes. If I ever see you hop in a boat, be sure to bring someone there for boredom. Or maybe I'll be a stowaway._

_Hey I didn't burn it. It just took a try or seven. I actually made homemade pizza. Bought the dough, sauce and cheese and every meat known to man and shoved it in the oven. Who needs Iron Chef when you have me? Oh, my roommate wants to do some eclectic dinner like a potluck tomorrow night. Any suggestions?_

_Hold on, you, MsPowerSuitIndependentWomanS uperMom used to own a horse? I could barely keep a goldfish alive. You must have been a princess in another life. Ah, the Great DC/Marvel Debate. That's one I'll stay out of. You used to be married? I guess lucky for me it didn't work out. If I see the guy I'll give him a piece of my mind._

_P.S. You too. You should take your son to the stables, or better yet, join the dark side. You have to admit Marvel makes better movies._

_Yours truly,_

_KnightInRustyArmour_

"Emma, are you listening?" Mary Margaret set her Granny's cocoa down on the booth table, her lips pursed.

Emma just nodded, typing furiously on her phone with the hint of a smile and laughter on her face before pressing 'send'.

"Then what's your answer?" questioned her roommate.

Emma looked up briefly then back to her device, wondering whether a yes or no would get her in trouble. "Uh, yes."

Mary Margaret beamed sneakily. "Well thank you for offering to clean the apartment, Em."

"Wha-" the blonde huffed then leaned back in her chair. "Fine."

"Who are you texting anyway?"

"I'm not," Emma mumbled. "They're emails. Working emails."

"Ooh you're emailing somebody?" Ruby came over and filled Emma's mug of hot chocolate and sat herself at the booth beside the school teacher. She gasped excitedly. "Are you emailing someone from Singlebrooke?"

Emma opened her mouth then slammed it shut.

"You are!"

"What's Singlebrooke?" Mary Margaret asked confused.

"This dating website I signed Emma up for," Ruby explained with a pleased nudge.

"You're dating someone?" Her roommate asked aghast. "That's why you're so dependent on your phone."

"I am not dependent." Just then her phone vibrated and she picked it up eagerly. Instead of an email she found an update notification for one of her many game apps and tossed her phone back disappointed on the table.

The women across from her stared at her as if she were a science experiment, the shorter haired one tilting her head in obvious confusion and amazement while the longer haired one grinned smugly. She blushed and looked down at her hands, not realizing that her eyes drifted to her phone every so often.

"Well," Ruby stood with a grin and a wink, "enjoy your date."

"It's not a date!" Emma called after her. She turned back towards her roommate with an exasperated sigh.

"How long have you been emailing him?" Mary Margaret asked with a motion towards the blonde's phone.

She averted her eyes at the complicated nature of her situation. Leaning forward, she lowered her voice. "It's not a guy."

The brunette's eyes widened for just a moment when she processed the information but leaned over and put her hand over Emma's in a supportive gesture. "That's fine too. How long have you been emailing her?"

Emma exhaled relieved though still tense. That wasn't even half of it. "A couple weeks."

"I noticed you were becoming phone addicted. I thought you were just breaking your record on Fruit Ninja."

"I'm close to doing that too," Emma grinned. Removing her hand from her roommate's grasp, Emma fidgeted. "There's something else."

"Oh?" She asked taking a sip of her drink.

Emma paused, purposely avoiding the brunette's eyes. She whispered quietly. "It's Regina."

Loud coughing emitted from the petite woman sitting across from her. She banged a fist against her chest to clear her throat from the cocoa that clearly went down the wrong tube in surprise.

Emma winced and slid over her water glass which Mary Margaret gulped graciously. When her airways were clear, she stared hard in shock at the blonde. "I'm sorry, I thought you said it was Regina."

Emma nodded meekly.

"Emma!" The brunette shrieked.

"Shhhhh," Emma hushed frantically, looking around at some gawking diners. "She doesn't know I know it's her, and she doesn't know it's me."

"Emma, if she finds out you're humiliating her-"

"I'm not," the Sheriff was quick to defend.

Mary Margaret raised her eyebrows in curiosity.

"She's actually really fun to talk to. She's funny and smart and-"

"Oh my god, you like her," the brunette gasped.

"There's more," Emma mumbled and shifted in her seat.

Mary Margaret sighed and leaned forward, her eyes blazing. "How can there be more?"

She looked up under hooded lashes. "She thinks I'm a man."

"Oh, Emma. . ." she drawled.

"I know, I know. I just. I don't know." The Sheriff hung her head on her hands.

"You need to tell her," her friend urged.

"I know but she'd freak out," Emma mumbled, her head still hanging. "I'm not gonna meet with her. I just- I really like talking to her."

"Why can't you talk to her in real life?"

Emma raised her head with a pointed glare.

"Right, she's the Mayor," Mary Margaret shook her head. She leaned over and took the blonde's hand in her grasp once more. "You're on a slippery slope, Em. You need to think about what the right thing is."

Emma knew what the right thing was. If she really cared for Regina, she'd admit her identity and even possibly her feelings. But she'd never do that. She could just stop emailing the Mayor, but that was just as cruel. Plus she didn't want to. Emma was in over her head, and a part of her loved it.

* * *

 

_Lady Regal,_

_I tried out that grilled chicken recipe you sent over and even did the fork-poking technique so that it cooked evenly. You are literally a cooking genius!_

_My mysterious job has been quiet recently, so I've been researching recipes. Judging by what you know of my progressive cooking skills, do you think I'm ready to tackle seafood linguini on my own?_

_How's yours, by the way? Job, I mean. Has that pesky colleague finally learned to keep his eyes averted? Because, you know, I could teach him a lesson for you if you want. Several, in fact._

_Oh, you finally finished Of Mice and Men? I'm actually surprised you hadn't read it yet, but I'm not ashamed to admit that there was a giant branch in my eye when I read it. No, I did not cry from sadness. There was a branch. But seriously, I'm glad you liked it. I gotta say that I couldn't get through that Austen book you recommended. I cheated and watched the movie. And by watch I mean fell asleep. I'm glad your skills in cooking surpasses your choice in literature._

_I have to cut this one short. Job needs my attention._

_Until next time,_

_Sir Knight_

* * *

 

**Lady Regal? Are you coming up with nicknames already? I must say it's growing on me.**

**Don't be so surprised. I've yet to give you a recipe or tip that hasn't worked. As for the linguini I'm excited to hear about your adventures in that one, but I believe you can do it.**

**How can you not appreciate the feminine strength in Elizabeth Bennett? Oh, that's right. I forgot. You are a man. Perhaps my next suggestion will be a Maxim magazine. You read depressing books in Of Mice and Men and Tuesdays with Morrie, though they are very well written. I hope that hasn't been a recurring theme in your life.**

**My colleague has received a firm tongue lashing for his behaviour and he hasn't done it again, though your cavalry is greatly appreciated. I can see how you live up to your knightly title.**

**Ah, your mysterious occupation is in fact real. I see that my guesses have come up dry. Coincidentally enough I have a meeting to attend shortly.**

**Next time indeed.**

* * *

 

Emma found Henry sitting on a bench outside Town Hall's conference room where she had to attend an obligatory bi-weekly meeting to discuss changes and budgets within the town. She sat down next to him and tugged out one of the earnbuds firmly attached in his ear. He looked up defiantly before realizing who it was.

"Emma!" He grinned.

She squinted at his new phone which doubled as a music player. "Wow, your mom spoiled you. I didn't get a cell phone 'til I was 16."

"My mom didn't want me to play with hers anymore," he grinned knowingly at the unspoken reason that Regina didn't want him to snoop around her emails with her mystery correspondent.

Emma held the device in her hand and grinned at his song selection. "You're listening to Bon Jovi?"

Henry just shrugged. "My mom put it on."

"This isn't from the Crush album," she mused to herself out loud.

The boy narrowed his eyes in confusion, but Emma just grinned and handed the phone back to him. She never would have thought that Regina would actually listen to Bon Jovi, let alone the other albums she wasn't entitled to listen to. A sense of unexplained joy seeped through Emma that was quickly interrupted by the sound of heels clicking.

"Henry, are you ready?" Regina asked when she was a few feet away. When she spotted Emma, she rolled her eyes. "Sheriff Swan."

" _Madame_ Mayor," Emma emphasized the former word hoping to get a reaction. Nothing.

"Bye Emma," Henry said, sliding off the bench to gather his belongings.

Emma held a hand up in goodbye while eyeing the Mayor. She suppressed a smile when she saw Regina take out her phone and frowned at it. Obviously she was hoping to exit the meeting with an awaiting email. Replacing her phone back into her pocket, Regina draped an arm around Henry's shoulders and turned to go.

"Bye Regina," Emma called out with a grin.

The brunette turned her head slightly and with an obvious resisted eye roll, nodded her head in acknowledgment.

Emma watched them walk away, an unsettling feeling churning in the pit of her stomach. She definitely would never be able to tell Regina who she was. The brunette tolerated her at best.

She sighed and stood, kicking the brass bars of the bench as she did so. This sucked.


	5. Chapter 5

Regina stood by the counter at Granny's, waiting for her morning coffee and scone. For close to a month now, the Mayor could feel herself relax more, smile more and strike up friendly conversation with passing citizens that wasn't meant to be a display in power. Just this morning she had stopped her strict morning routine to help Granny pick up a bag of groceries she had dropped. She wasn't sure what was the cause of her sudden lightness, but she was all too aware that even Henry had started to become more approachable.

He was actually attending school, and for the first time in a long time, the boy had engaged her in conversation over dinner a few nights past. It seemed her good mood was infectious. She made a mental note to share this good news with her mystery friend.

She nodded graciously as Ruby set down her coffee and scone, handing over some bills to cover the breakfast. She lifted the disposable lid and blew gently into the brew, allowing the hot drink to warm her palm and flood her senses.

"Good morning, Madame Mayor."

Regina closed her eyes. Well that good mood was ruined quickly. She looked up and inclined her head in greeting. "Miss Swan, I trust you'll be there for the budget meeting. Punctual this time."

Emma beamed. "Wouldn't miss it."

The blonde walked to the counter and sat beside where Regina stood, nibbling on her scone.

"That's not much of a breakfast," Emma commented.

"You're right. Your cocoa and bear claw are the appropriate choice."

"I just pictured you the big breakfast in the morning type of woman," Emma shrugged casually.

"And why are you picturing me at all, Sheriff?" Regina quirked an eyebrow.

Emma opened her mouth and floundered briefly. "Just, you can cook." Her eyes widened briefly and she rushed to finish. "I mean, Henry's mentioned it."

"Yes, well I had prior engagements that kept me up late," Regina admitted.

Emma turned her face briefly to hide her pleased smirk. On the rare occasion that she and Regina were free at the same time, their email sending would be so frequent it simulated instant messaging. The two had stayed up well into the night emailing back and forth until Regina had called it a night.

"I hope it was worth it," Emma said knowingly, gulping down a healthy dose of her cocoa to hide her grin.

Regina pulled her head back confused but shook it off. She replaced her scone back in its bag and grabbed her to go cup. "Enjoy your breakfast, Sheriff. And please be on time."

* * *

 

Emma was certainly on time to the point that she was early. Her station had been a bore, so she decided to walk to Town Hall in the hopes of killing time. She arrived there fifteen minutes later and still found herself bored, just in a different building.

She sat outside on the bench by Regina's Honey Crisp tree, the same tree she had defiled months earlier. It amused the blonde to compare her feelings for the brunette then and now. How one goes from cutting down a woman's tree just to piss her off to masquerading as a man just to get to know her better was a puzzle.

The vibration of her phone had her grinning before she even pulled it out of her pocket. Emails from Regina were always great, but Emma loved getting them during the day. It was as if the Mayor couldn't wait to talk to her. Which, Emma hoped, was true. She leaned over on her knees and began to read.

**Sir Knight,**

**I hope you're pleased that you kept me up all night. Already I can hear your dirty joke, so don't even try it.**

**Did you realize that today marks a full month we've been corresponding? I can't believe how little time it's taken for me to get to know someone, and the hundreds of emails in my inbox show that we are capable of making friends.**

**I know it hasn't been a long time, but I do feel like I know you better than most people in my life. It's nice.**

**I have to keep this one short. Another meeting. But to keep tradition, my favourite flowers are, generically, roses of all colours. I've learned to love Bon Jovi. In turn, you must listen to the orchestrated genius of Yanni.**

**I'll write to you tonight.**

**MR**

Emma finished reading, and as soon as she read Regina's last few lines, she checked the time to see that she was late.

"Dammit," she grumbled to herself and bolted up to run to the conference room.

She huffed out of breath upon entering. Every official and member were already seated at the large circular table with the only vacant seat being across from a displeased Regina.

"Miss Swan, please hurry up and take your seat," Regina said annoyed.

Emma just nodded and sat down across from the brunette who began speaking about some Main Street road maintenance repair or something or other.

It was no secret that Emma never paid any attention to these meetings, and today was no different. Instead, her mind wandered to the fact that Emma had been aware that she'd been communicating with the Mayor for a month now too. Hundreds of messages had been exchanged between the two, and Emma's phone was becoming an extended limb of her body.

It made it worse whenever Mary Margaret was in the room. She urged Emma to come clean to Regina numerous times, but the blonde just couldn't do it. She couldn't just take away this connection she had with the woman, and she knew Regina felt it too.

At the thought of her, Emma glanced up and noticed the Mayor had stopped talking. Some business suit guy had begun discussing Storybrooke's imports, and it pleased Emma to note Regina looked bored as well.

She watched as the brunette eyed her phone which waited beside a pile of folders. Emma smirked when Regina started touching the screen every couple of minutes just to confirm that she had no new messages. So the Mayor was just as addicted as she.

Leaning back to wiggle her phone out of her pocket, Emma kept her hands under the table as she typed discreetly.

_MadameRegal,_

_You make it way too easy with the dirty jokes. All I know is that it's code for 'I had fun talking to you all night'. I had fun too._

_I know, I can't believe it's been a month. It seems like I've known you for longer than that. It's been a good month._

_You know what's crazy to think about? I could have already met you, or we could have already bumped into each other. I could literally be right in front of you, and you wouldn't know._

_I don't envy you for those meetings. I know I'd hate sitting through them. Better plan: what's the most rebellious thing you've ever done?_

_Happy monthaversary ;)_

Emma clicked send and looked up waiting for Regina to get the email.

Less than a minute later, the Mayor's screen lit up as bright as her face as she sneaked her phone into her lap. She watched as Regina glanced up around the room, content that everyone was distracted by a slide presentation, and began reading her message.

Emma leaned back and smiled watching Regina smile and giggle to herself at the email. She averted her gaze when the Mayor glanced up once more to make sure she wasn't needed before she began to type away on her phone.

The Sheriff eyed her phone in her hands under the table, waiting for it to light up. She wasn't disappointed when it did so five minutes later.

**Did it happen to go along the lines of 'oh I bet you did baby ;)"? A tease I may be, but you are a chauvinistic pig.**

**That is a wonder to think about, but I highly doubt you're literally right in front of me. Oh god, don't tell me you're the one that created this awful presentation I'm forced to sit through.**

**Most rebellious thing I've done? I hid a relationship from my mother.**

**Your turn: biggest regret?**

**Happy monthaversary to you, as well :)**

Emma grinned and looked up at the Mayor who was waiting impatiently for another message. She didn't want to keep her waiting and quickly typed a response.

_It went along the lines of "was it as good for you as it was for me?" Ah, you wound me. Care to nurse me better?_

_You never know. I could be staring you right in the face at this very moment._

_Look at you, actually having a social life in your youth. Who knew? Here I thought the most rebellious thing you've done was email during a meeting._

_That's a bigger issue, but I will answer you this. Craziest thing I've ever done was waking up with a tattoo._

_Best thing that's ever happened to you?_

The emails being sent between the two women were happening in such quick succession that both women were discreetly hiding their phones in their lap as they read and types.

**You have no idea how good it was ;). If only I wasn't in this meeting. . .**

**I see you've evaded the regret question. You'll be answering it in the future.**

**Best thing: my son, of course. Easy question. Honestly, Knight, your questions need some work.**

**A moment you've been caught in a compromising position?**

_Holy, you have totally obliterated the moderately prudish image I had of you. Just give me a moment to wish you weren't in that meeting._

_I like it when you're bossy._

_Compromising position: running out of my place in just a towel and having the door get stuck shut behind me._

_I think the real question you wanted to ask was what my favourite position is. Don't be shy._

**Favourite position?**

_I'll show you mine if you show me yours._

**Unfortunately for you, my meeting's coming to an end.**

**P.S. I'm always on top.**

Emma gulped, her cheeks were flushed and her mind was swimming after reading the last email. She looked up to hear Regina's voice calling the meeting to an end. It pleased the Sheriff to note that even Regina looked a little dazes and her usually hazel eyes had darkened. She wasn't the only one affected by this, and it was clear Regina liked Emma's personality, she just didn't like Emma necessarily.

But if she got to know her better, then Regina would see that Emma wasn't so bad. Maybe she'd get past the whole not-being-a-guy thing. She had to try.

So she stood and began to walk out, typing a reply.

_Always? I don't have a problem with that._

_Want to IM later? We could email back and forth all we like, but it'd be nice to get to talk to you in real-time. Think of it as a monthaversary date._

_I'll be on at 8 under knightly84. I hope I'll see you then._

By the time she got back to the station, she was met with a happy reply.

**Wouldnt miss it :)**

* * *

Regina kept glancing at the clock as she helped Henry with his math homework. She felt guilty for doing so since the boy had willingly asked her how to do a problem, but she was just too excited and anxious for her 'date'.

"What's wrong with you?" Henry asked confused.

"Nothing, dear," Regina rushed to dismiss and leaned over to tackle the next problem.

"Do you have to go somewhere?" Henry asked. "You keep looking at the clock."

She internally bemoaned the fact that Henry was so intuitive.

"No, nowhere to go."

"Is it your internet date?" Henry asked with a grin.

She whipped her head up, her eyes flashing with a hint of embarrassment.

"Kathryn told me she set up an IM account when she picked me up from Archie's."

Regina scowled. She was never telling those two anything ever again.

"Don't worry, we have time. Homework, Henry."

He looked up at his mother in genuine amazement. It was like her worry lines vanished in the short time she had met this mystery person. Whenever she scolded him he had the tendency to revert back to thinking she was the Evil Queen, but right now she just looked like his mother who was excited for his first day of school. He quickly hurried through his math and all but shoved her out of his room with a smirk on his face.

* * *

Emma sat on her bed with her laptop resting on her knees. She kept glancing on her computer clock wondering if she'd get stood up. It was already 8:06, and the Mayor was never late.

She chewed on her nails in anxiety. She'd been meaning to ask Regina to IM for a while now, but there never seemed to be an ample opportunity to ask her. Instead, the blonde had gone ahead and made an account to simulate her pen name and waited rather impatiently for the courage to do so.

Relief flooded through her when her chat window popped up.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Hi.

_Knightly84_ : Hey, thought you might have virtually stood me up.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : No, I was just helping my son with his homework, and truth be told, I had a friend set up this account and only now remembered the password.

_Knightly84_ : That makes my ego feel better. This is kinda different, isn't it?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : How do you mean?

_Knightly84_ : It's like we're talking in real life.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I know. It's a good different.

_Knightly84_ : A very good different. So that meeting of yours, would you like to explain yourself?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Whatever do you mean?

_Knightly84_ : Don't play coy with me.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Did I sufficiently prove that I'm not a prude?

_Knightly84_ : Believe me, that image has been shattered and replaced with something even better.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Like I said, chauvinistic pig.

_Knightly84_ : I can be sweet if given the chance.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Here's your chance.

_Knightly84_ : Do you want me to recite poetry to you?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : A sweet guy wouldn't have to ask. Plus, I'm sure you already have your search engine open looking up poems.

_Knightly84_ : Ye of little faith.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I'm still waiting.

_Knightly84_ : Did my heart love till now? Foreswear it sight. For I never saw true beauty until this night.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Did you just quote Romeo and Juliet?

_Knightly84_ : Are you surprised that I quoted Romeo and Juliet?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : You really are a lit snob.

_Knightly84_ : You've yet to comment on my poetry.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : You've yet to see me to comment on my beauty.

_Knightly84_ : I don't need to see you to know that.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : You certainly know how to make a woman blush.

_Knightly84_ : Mission accomplished.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : How was your day? It's odd that we can talk so casually without a long specific email.

_Knightly84_ : It's a good odd.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : A very good odd.

_Knightly84_ : You were the highlight of my day, and I mean that sincerely. I find myself sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting for your emails.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I know the feeling. Sometimes I swear I can feel my phone vibrate even when there's nothing there.

_Knightly84_ : I'm glad the feeling is mutual. So you were helping your son with homework, is he finally out of that stage?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I doubt it, but today was a good day for us. I forgot to tell you, he's been opening up to me a lot more lately.

_Knightly84_ : That's great news. You must be thrilled.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Indeed. So why won't you tell me what your biggest regret is?

_Knightly84_ : My biggest regret resulted in the best thing that ever happened to me. That's a story for another time.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I suppose we're all entitled to our secrets.

_Knightly84_ : It keeps the air of mystery. So guess what?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I see where your child-like tendencies kick in.

_Knightly84_ : 'What knightly?' Oh, funny you should ask. The Yanni guy is good, I'll give him that, but I found our musical baby.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Our what?

_Knightly84_ : Our musical baby. A blend of both our genres.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Where was I during our musical sex?

_Knightly84_ : ;)

**BrownEyedGirl01** : *eye roll*

_Knightly84_ : If you'd like a repeat performance. . .

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Where is our musical baby?

_Knightly84_ : You could have just said no. Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They're a lot more hard rock, but they do covers of classical music, you know like Beethoven and Mozart and all those guys.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Our musical child is already rebelling against us.

_Knightly84_ : Our real child will do just fine.

. . .

_Knightly84_ : It was a joke.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : You know how to put your foot in your mouth. But I will give it a listen to.

_Knightly84_ : It's one of my finer qualities.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Sex fiend and inappropriate jokes. My, what a feat.

_Knightly84_ : If I remember correctly that will be the third time today you have brought up sex. Who's the fiend now?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : You brought it up the first time. I simply finished it.

_Knightly84_ : You simply invaded my thoughts for the rest of the day.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Perhaps I'll invade them for the rest of the night. I'm off to bed. Won't you imagine what I'm wearing?

_Knightly84_ : You minx.

_**BrownEyedGirl01** logged off._

 

****


	6. Chapter 6

"How's everything been going?" Kathryn asked Regina as they wandered through the aisles during their weekly grocery shopping trips.

The brunette didn't have to ask specifics to know what her friend was referring to, and for once, she was glad Henry was at his session so she could gush to the blonde about the new man in her life.

"Great," Regina said simply with the hint of a smile on her face. "Just great."

Kathryn beamed. "He seems like a keeper. How long before you two meet?"

Regina whipped her head up from inspecting the nutritional value of cereal to the awaiting look of her friend. "Meet?"

"Haven't you two discussed it yet?" The blonde asked. "Usually when two people hit it off online they meet in real life. Get to know each other from there."

"It never really occurred to me," Regina admitted.

"Well," Kathryn closed the gap between them, resting her hands on Regina's arm in reassurance, "do you want to meet him?"

The Mayor looked away from her in contemplation. It had crossed her mind wondering who exactly was her correspondent. Why shouldn't they meet? If she enjoyed his company online, surely he'd be just the same if not better in person.

She turned her head back to Kathryn and inclined her head just a tad, her voice rising just a fraction. "Yes. Yes I would like to meet him."

Kathryn squealed, squeezing Regina's arm. "You have to ask him, and when he says yes I'll help you get ready."

Regina couldn't suppress the contagious excitement emitting from her friend. Though she contained it the way only a politician knew how, Regina's heart thudded in anticipation. She would be meeting him very soon.

Little did she know that on the other side of the aisle, the heart of the blonde Sheriff, her mystery correspondent, was beating just as rapidly for entirely different reasons.

* * *

 

"Mary Margaret!" Emma yelled as soon as she returned home from the grocery store. "I need help!"

The other woman stuck her head out from behind the curtain of her room, her brows furrowed in confusion. Judging by the pleading tone in the blonde's voice, it seemed as if her voice was strained from a heavy load, but the brunette just found Emma heading straight for her bottle of Jack.

"I thought you were getting groceries," Mary Margaret spoke slowly, testing the waters of Emma's tension.

The blonde poured herself a shot, drained it then slammed the glass down on the counter. "Groceries can wait. I have a real problem."

"What's wrong?" The brunette stepped towards Emma, a concerned hand on the Sheriff's arm.

"Regina's gonna ask me out," Emma answered exasperated.

Again, Mary Margaret's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Isn't that what you want?"

"Not me, online me!" The blonde threw her hands up in frustration.

The schoolteacher gasped.

Emma began pacing, wringing her hands as she did so. "I heard her tell Kathryn at the store she wants to meet with me, and you should have heard her, Mary Margaret, she was so excited. I mean she didn't jump for joy, but I could tell. I mean, I couldn't see her, but I know her voice, I've been talking to her non-stop for a month and a half and I could just tell that she wants to meet with me so badly."

Finally the blonde stopped and faced her roommate, fear written all over her face. "What do I do?"

The schoolteacher sighed and moved past the frazzled blonde to put the kettle on the stove. She turned with her back to the counter, her arms folded across her chest and a determined glare set in Emma's direction. "Meet with her."

Emma's eyes all but bulged out of her head. "Are you crazy?"

"Me crazy? Coming from the woman posing as a man who's falling for Regina?" Mary Margaret scoffed. "Emma. She deserves to know the truth."

Emma leaned back against the island, mimicking her roommate's position. "I know, but-"

"No," the brunette spoke with a quiet determination. "No buts. If you really like her, and if she really likes you, it won't matter that you're not a man. If two people are supposed to be together, they find a way."

"But I'm me," Emma reasoned sadly. "She hates me."

"Judging from our electricity and internet bill I doubt she hates you that much," Mary Margaret chided.

The pair was silent for a brief moment. Mary Margaret rummaging through pantries looking for the tea, while Emma remained in her position, lost in thought.

"I'm gonna tell her," Emma blurted out. "I'm gonna ask her to meet me, and then I'm gonna tell her."

Mary Margaret straightened with a proud smile. "You'll do great."

Emma nodded sheepishly and uncertainly before motioning to the steaming kettle, stammering to herself as she pushed off the island. "We're out of tea. I'll just-. Groceries."

Mary Margaret shook her head watching the blonde leave. "Oh Em, you are way in over your head."

* * *

 

Emma rolled her eyes at Regina's phone call. Nowhere in her job description did it say paperwork was mandatory, but here she was, forced to go to the Mayor's office so that Regina could make sure the job got done.

In theory, Emma longed for alone time with the Mayor, but her new resolve of coming clean to Regina had Emma avoiding the brunette.

She could do this, she reasoned, as she gathered the month's worth of files she failed to complete. It's just Regina.

* * *

 

"You can set up over there," Regina directed the blonde to her sitting area as soon as Emma stepped into her office.

She nodded her thanks, unable to meet the brunette's eye as she dropped her files on the coffee table and sat down on the couch.

"Sheriff, I hope this doesn't become a regular recurrence," Regina said in her usual snarky tone. "I can't babysit you. I have better things to do."

"You asked me here, Regina."

"Because you prove to be incompetent," Regina spoke seated from her desk.

"Or maybe you just wanted to spend some time with me." The words were out before Emma could catch them. She froze like a deer caught in the headlights waiting for Regina's inevitable scolding.

Instead, Regina's head whipped up at the blonde's remark and she narrowed her eyes with a laugh. "Perhaps in one of your fantasies you have a fighting chance."

Emma turned her head to look back at the Mayor, surprised she'd responded back with a retort of her own. "What happens in one of yours?"

This time Regina glared. "Do your work, Ms. Swan."

"Someone's extra bossy today," Emma mumbled under her breath with a smirk, turning back to her pile.

If she had kept her head up a moment longer, she would have seen Regina narrow her eyes in confusion.

After an hour of various positions of hovering over the low coffee table, placing files on her knees, and leaning back to give her spine a break, Emma huffed and slammed the file down on the table, making as much noise as she wanted since Regina had currently stepped out to meet with some developers.

Figuring she had another hour to herself, she quickly grabbed a few files and made her way to the Mayor's desk, taking a moment to appreciate the posturepedic recliner that was Regina's throne.

No wonder the woman was a workaholic. If she had a chair like that, she'd want to sit in it all day too.

Getting comfy, Emma allowed the soft rock of Bon Jovi to play from her phone as she dove into her paperwork.

Hoping to impress Regina with her vigorous work habits, Emma went diligently through the files, so consumed with work she almost didn't hear the staccato clicking of Jimmy Choos.

"My, my, my, you're doing what you do best, Sheriff," Regina said, eyeing Emma as she walked in.

"And what's that, Madame Mayor?" Emma asked.

"Making yourself at home. Now if you'd be so kind as to move from my desk." Regina was already by Emma's side, glaring at the blonde to move.

"But my back hurts," Emma complained.

"How is that my problem?"

Emma remained firmly seated in Regina's chair, swaying ever so slightly as she spoke seriously to the Mayor though mentally amused. "I'm the Sheriff. If I have a bad back, how am I supposed to do my job?"

"You're not doing your job now. Up." Regina tugged the blonde up and quickly replaced her spot.

"I kept it nice and warm for you," she said as she simply moved to the opposite side of Regina's desk and sat in one of the visitor's chairs. She ignored the look the Mayor was currently giving her.

"Really, Ms. Swan?"

"Bad back, remember? Plus, it's not like you have an issue with personal space, so if you'll excuse me, I have paperwork to do." She leaned over and grabbed her phone, Bon Jovi's raspy voice still sounding through it.

Regina eyed the device briefly, a hint of a smile on her face before turning back to her computer.

"What?" Emma asked, catching that momentary look. "Too loud?"

"It's fine, Sheriff," Regina droned as if talking to a child.

"You smiled."

Regina feigned a gasp. "Did I really? Hell must have frozen over."

Emma genuinely smiled at the joke despite herself.

Regina looked taken aback by Emma's reaction and turned back to her monitor.

Staring at the brunette for a moment more, Emma just grinned to herself before pushing her phone into the middle of the desk and going back to her work.

The two worked in companionable silence for a while, the only sounds between them was the scratching of Emma's pen, the typing of Regina's keyboard, and Bon Jovi.

Out of the corner of her eye, Emma could see Regina smile to herself as she stared at her screen and typed furiously. The blonde had grown to love the little secret smiles Regina had on her face whenever she was reading or writing to her. The realization that her phone was in between them came far too late when the Mayor moved her mouse to inevitably hit 'send'.

Less than a minute later, Emma's music paused in its tracks and two loud beeps rang. She snatched it quickly, her eyes wide.

She gauged the brunette's reaction who only scrunched up her face, confused at the blonde's rash action. "Is there a problem, Ms. Swan?"

"Just my alarm," Emma explained hastily and stood, pocketing her phone. "I'm gonna go grab lunch."

Regina pursed her lips, but Emma could feel her hazel eyes boring into her back.

* * *

 

The Sheriff was acting stranger than usual. It seemed as if she'd been avoiding the Mayor, but whenever they came into contact, the blonde would talk to her like they were old friends. Albeit most of the things she said were crude, but what can one expect from a person like Emma Swan?

Still, she appreciated that Emma's work music wasn't some heavy metal Gothic rock or mainstream pop. Regina did note Emma's abrupt departure for lunch, but she'd seen Henry eat, so she could only assume he picked up his eating habits from her.

She checked her email for the fourth time since Emma left and still no response. It was a good thing she didn't decide to ask her mystery messenger whether it was time to meet because if he was apparently busy all day, as he was now, then she'd be on edge from the anxiety.

Truth be told, the Mayor was too nervous to ask to finally meet up. Their online relationship seemed too good to be true that she wasn't prepared to find out the sender's identity for fear of her image of him being shattered.

Next time, she promised herself.

Relief swept through her when an email arrived in her inbox.

_I'm sorry I can't fully answer. I'm at a different location for work with my boss hovering over my shoulder. IM at 9? -KIRA_

She quickly typed her confirmation, not even looking up when Emma walked back into her office a moment later. She finally lifted her head when a Granny's take out bag was placed in front of her.

"I got you lunch," Emma offered and sat down, opening her own bag and pulling out her grilled cheese and fries.

"You shouldn't assume people eat the same as you. Some may want to live past the age of 40."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I got you something different. If you don't like it, don't eat it."

Against her better judgment, Regina peered into the bag, expecting to find something simple like a salad or her usual clubhouse sandwich which she was sure the blonde had asked Ruby about. Instead she pulled out a prosciutto caprese panini, and though she had never ordered it before, she'd admit at wanting to try it now.

"Did I do good?" Emma asked, leaning back in her chair and popping a fry in her mouth.

"What did you do? Ask Ruby for my usual?" The brunette replied smartly.

"Yeah, but I figured you'd like this better. And I got you coffee," Emma motioned to the tray containing the coffee and soda.

"You know I don't take bribes. You still have to finish your paperwork," Regina quipped. She took a bite out of her sandwich, carefully masking the satisfaction from her face. Why hadn't she ordered this before?

"Two jokes in one day? Hell must have certainly froze over," Emma laughed, digging into her lunch.

Regina continued to work as she ate. "Believe me, it'll still be hot when you get there."

"That's three. Should I be keeping track?"

"How about you continue your paperwork that's a month overdue?" Regina used her authoritative voice causing Emma to sit up and grumble. "Fine, fine."

The hours passed as the two women sat at the shared desk quietly, content with each other. By the time both women were done, Emma, with no prompt or forewarning, walked Regina to her car, bidding the Mayor good night by the opening of her door before heading towards the station to retrieve her own vehicle.

For the first time in a long time, the anxiety and fear seemed to seep from Emma. Sure, she and Regina butted heads, but they just went through a whole day without fighting. It was more like squabbling.

And squabbling, in Emma Swan's dictionary, seemed an awful lot like flirting. The old Regina would have scorned Emma for half of the things she'd said to the Mayor, but now Regina responded in kind. Maybe they could work this out. Maybe Regina wouldn't mind.

* * *

 

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Are you okay? I feel like I haven't talked to you all day.

_Knightly84_ : Yeah, work. I actually have a problem going on right now.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Anything I can help with?

_Knightly84_ : Yeah, yeah actually your opinion would be great.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Fire away.

_Knightly84_ : It's with my work. My boss isn't really a fan of me.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : If your employer is showing favoritism and discrimination, you can report him.

_Knightly84_ : No, it's not really that so much, but I have a friend I work with, and my boss loves him.  
 _Knightly84_ : Lately I've been doing his work too, but my boss thinks it's coming from him.  
 _Knightly84_ : Meanwhile, my boss loves him and he gets the credit while I get treated like dirt.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Who is your boss? I'm sure I know people who could have a word with him.

_Knightly84_ : No one you know.  
 _Knightly84_ : But do you think I should tell my boss it's been me all along?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Of course, you should. It'll help you get into good standing with your superior, plus it shows your dedication to the company.

_Knightly84_ : I am pretty dedicated. Do you think he'd get mad though? I was lying to him for a while.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : He liked what you produced, which reflects you as a person. You'll still give the same amount of effort even after he finds out it was you all along. If he values the work you've done for the company than the lying shouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

_Knightly84_ : I cannot tell you how much of a relief that is. You've no idea how stressed I was about this all day.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I'm glad I could help.

_Knightly84_ : Can I ask you a serious question?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : As long as I get to ask you one in return.

_Knightly84_ : How comfortable are you with me? Because I know it hasn't even really been two months yet, but I just feel like I know you and you know me.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Extremely comfortable. Believe me, the feeling is a little overwhelming but it's amazing how well we've gotten to know each other.

_Knightly84_ : Well, if that's the case I was wondering something.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Yes?

_Knightly84_ : I was wondering if you were ready to meet in person?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I was going to ask you the same thing.

_Knightly84_ : Is that a yes then?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : That's an absolutely.

_Knightly84_ : Phew. Another one off my chest.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : You were scared I'd say no?

_Knightly84_ : Terrified.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Who has the little faith now?

_Knightly84_ : I'll book somewhere nice and we'll confirm the details.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Can't wait.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Emma laid the single peach long stem rose in its box, leaving it uncovered to preserve its life. She gulped while looking in the mirror. Although she had asked Regina to meet her in one of Storybrooke's finer dining establishments, Emma opted out of wearing a dress. Instead, the Sheriff cleaned up nicely with fitted black dress pants and one of her nicer blouses.

To say she was nervous would be an understatement. She was about to drop the biggest bombshell in her life, and she wasn't sure Regina would respond appropriately.

A knock on her door had the blonde shaking herself out of her thoughts when she spotted Mary Margaret leaning against the door jamb.

"You look so nice," the petite woman complimented.

Emma could only muster enough strength to reply with a smile. She turned back to her mirror, fussing over her make up.

Mary Margaret came up behind her and halted her agitated hands. "You look great."

"What if she freaks out?"

"She might," the brunette admitted truthfully. "You have to give her the benefit of the doubt that she won't."

Emma nodded animatedly and shrugged on a pea coat she had borrowed from the brunette for the evening.

She quickly picked up the box containing the rose and gave her roommate one final glance before leaving the apartment.

* * *

 

By the time midnight rolled around, the state of events Emma found herself in was not how she pictured her night ending. By now she thought she'd be kissing Regina goodnight on the stoop of her porch, butterflies in her stomach excited at the prospect of a new relationship with the Mayor. Instead, she was sitting on her fire escape, licking her wounds with a bottle of Jack.

She didn't know why she did it. Perhaps it was the underlying irrational fear of rejection permanently etched into her core since birth, but whatever it was that drove her actions, for all intents and purposes, Emma had technically stood Regina up.

Of course she'd gone to the restaurant, even she wasn't that cruel. But when she saw Regina already seated at the table in a stunning deep purple dress, glancing up every so often with a hopeful look at each passing stranger, Emma felt her heart drop deep into the pit of her stomach. It stayed there clenching and squeezing when she spoke briefly to the maitre d', handing over the box containing the rose and whispering careful instructions and tipping him handsomely for his discretion.

She stayed in the lobby for a good five minutes just staring at the brunette, fighting an internal battle of whether to stay or go. If she left and never emailed her again, that'd be the end of that. Regina would spit fire on the townspeople indefinitely, but Emma was almost willing to pay that price. She knew she couldn't leave though.

She wanted to go over there and finally talk to her, face to face, but the reality of the situation struck her hard and left her with nothing but cowardice.

_Just tell her, Swan._ _Tell her and get it over with. Quick like a band-aid. And when she lashes out, run like hell._

She glanced at her watch, technically ten minutes late, and stood, her thoughts collected and a momentary lapse of courage skimmed the surface of her exterior.

She made her way to Regina's table, noting that the brunette tense ever so subtly by the presence of another and was met with Regina's wide, hopeful gaze. It was almost instantaneously replaced with an eye roll and disappointment. It was then that cowardice and deep-seeded rejection coursed through Emma full force. She couldn't do it. Regina didn't want her here.

"What are you doing here, Sheriff?" Her tone didn't have its usual bite, though Emma did notice the shiftiness of her eyes as a man brushed behind her to get seated.

Emma just stared at her, voices screaming in her head to get out, to tell her she was the mystery person, to do something instead of just standing there like an idiot. She blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"You look nice."

Regina chuckled as if Emma's observation was a given, and frankly, it was. "I'm meeting someone."

The blonde's legs realized their purpose and moved to sit across Regina, earning a displeased look from the Mayor. "A date?"

It pleased Emma to see the faint hint of a blush on Regina's cheeks.

"I guess one would call it that."

"I didn't know you were dating anyone," Emma said, her hands hidden in her lap clenching at the guilt that wracked her body.

"You don't know me that well, Ms. Swan."

"Why don't we?" Emma reached for the small opening of opportunity to salvage herself. "Get to know each other."

The brunette halted her search of the crowd to gawk at the Sheriff. "Why would we do that?"

"Because . . ." Emma drawled, trying to come up with a better reason than 'because-we-already-do-but-you-dont-know-that'. ". . .it could be good."

Regina didn't even have to raise her eyebrow for the blonde to know her excuse was a stretch.

Instead of replying, Regina tapped at her phone, checking the time and her messages. She frowned at the device before looking up scornfully at Emma, as if blaming her for an uneventful start to her evening.

Emma averted her eyes, not able to make contact with the sad eyes that stared back at her, guilt churning up her insides. She stood up abruptly. "I have to go to the washroom."

Emma paced the washroom, kicking herself in the head. How could she do this to her? How could she let it get this far? She should have just said it was her all along as soon as she reached the table. Now it was far too late.

Shutting her eyes, she pulled out her phone and sent a quick email before leaving her safe place. She kept to the walls and purposely avoided looking in Regina's direction before she made it to the maitre d' and snatched the note she had left with the rose.

* * *

 

Regina's breath came out shaky as she sighed upon reading the email.

_I am so sorry. I got stuck with work last minute, and this was my only time to get a message out. If you hate me, I get it._

She pursed her lips in annoyance and embarrassment at sitting alone in an intimate restaurant for so long, but she typed her sympathies.

**It's fine. Maybe another time.**

She drained her glass of wine before standing and escorting herself to the lobby, her cheeks burning with disappointment. She understood work, that much she knew for sure, but the unnerving feeling of being abandoned slowly crept to her surface.

A voice called out to her as she was just about to exit, but instead of turning, a hand caught her arm.

"Mayor Mills," the young host look terrified at having to physically stop the fearsome woman. He shoved a long, rectangular box into her grasp. "A messenger sent this for you. To give it on your way out."

All it took was a glare for the man to scurry back to the safety of his podium before Regina stalked back to her car.

She didn't open the box until she was seated in her Benz, wary about the contents. Inside was a long stem, thornless peach rose. With gentle fingers, she lifted it to her nose and inhaled the sweet fragrance. There was no note, no word who sent it, but Regina could only suspect that her unnamed friend had sent it in apologies.

She smiled at it and placed it delicately back in its box. Perhaps the evening wasn't completely spoiled, she mused. But now she had to find out with whom she'd been communicating with. She made a mental note to get Sidney to find out before turning the keys in her ignition.

The sound her Mercedes made rivaled a blender crushing gravel. She tried again with the same result and scowled at the damn thing in frustration.

A knock on her window made her turn her glare to someone she had not expected to see again this evening. Rolling down her window, she eyed the blonde. "Do I need a restraining order, Sheriff?"

"You look like you need a jump start," Emma replied, the jab sliding off of her like it was nothing.

"I suppose you just so happen to have whatever it is that you need to jump start a vehicle?" Regina asked, sarcasm dripping with disdain.

"I can fix cars," Emma shrugged simply. "Let me pull my bug up."

Before Regina could decline, Emma was already off. Five minutes later, the death trap of a car pulled up in front of her.

Emma said nothing as she popped her hood and went to the back to retrieve wire cables. She shot a brief glance at Regina before ordering her to pop her hood.

"I'd feel better calling a tow truck, Ms. Swan," Regina said, stepping out of the car.

"That could take hours, plus your battery is just dead. You just need a jump, and you'll be on your way." Emma spoke as she motioned to the hood. "So pop the hood."

Regina crossed her arms and stood inches away from Emma. "What are you even doing here, Sheriff?"

Regina could see Emma's averted gaze despite the confidence in her voice. "Working undercover."

The Mayor scoffed. "Does your super power go off whenever you lie?"

"What makes you think I'm lying?" Emma's eyes flashed defensive.

"Working undercover? Is that the best you can come up with?"

Emma's mouth parted, trying to find a reason before Regina's eyes narrowed in realization.

"Are you here to spy on me?"

"What?" Emma spat, surprised at the accusation.

Regina stepped even closer, the Sheriff not backing down. "You knew I had a date, didn't you?"

Emma parted her lips then snapped them shut. She turned her head slightly, as if angry as she spoke. "Yes."

Regina shook her head, her eyes angry. She shoved a firm finger into the Sheriff's chest. "That is none of your business."

She remained in Emma's space, expecting some sort of sass from the blonde and was shocked when she just stood there. Regina took a step back when the silence stretched unnaturally.

"For what it's worth, your date's an idiot for leaving you there," Emma said with no hesitance, finally meeting Regina's gaze.

"Just fix it," Regina waved her arm in the direction of her car, moving back to her door to push the hood latch by her seat.

The hood popped and Emma made quick work of attaching the cables to Regina's battery and moved back to her car to start it up. She leaned out of the side of her window. "Start it up."

Just like that, Regina's Benz purred to life, making the Mayor momentarily forget the woman who came to her aid and was just gracious of the fact that Emma had actually done something useful.

She remained in her car as Emma stepped out of hers to retrieve the cables and slammed both their hoods shut. She came to Regina's open window. "That's it."

"Perhaps you're in the wrong occupation, Sheriff," the Mayor quipped earning a grin from the blonde.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," Emma said with a tight smile, her eyes glancing over at the rose in the passenger seat, before straightening up. "Good night, Regina."

* * *

What made Emma feel even more guilty as she sat, drowning in her sorrows on the fire escape, was that Regina had seemed so forgiving to her when she found the brunette online. By her curt email, Emma was sure that Regina would have sent her a follow-up ending all contact, but the brunette continued to be full of surprises, and judging from the quarter of the bottle of Jack she'd consumed, Emma's liquid courage manifested.

_Knightly84_ : Hi.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Hello.

_Knightly84_ : I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I know how work can get. Workaholic remember.  
 **BrownEyedGirl01** : I got your rose.

_Knightly84_ : Do you like it?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I love it.

_Knightly84_ : Why aren't you mad at me?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Do you want me to be? I would consider that a blessing.

_Knightly84_ : No, but I didn't show up.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I was at first. Furious actually. But you're lucky the rose got there in time.

_Knightly84_ : Saved by a flower. Why'd it change your mind?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : You didn't plan to work, and you still managed to send something in your absence.

. . .

_Knightly84_ : Can we try again? Definitely this time?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Are you sure?

_Knightly84_ : I promise I'll be there.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I'm not one to make promises with people.

_Knightly84_ : I know you're hesitant, especially after tonight, but I'd really like for us to get to know each other in person.  
Knightly84: Think about it?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I'll think about it.

* * *

 

It had been three days of Emma and Regina still emailing, but the brunette just didn't want to risk another failed attempt at meeting. At a loss of what to do, Emma found herself talking to Regina more, not just bickering, though that inevitably did occur, but she exchanged pleasantries with the brunette on a semi-regular basis, whether it be striking conversation in the morning at Granny's or personally hand delivering her completed files to Regina.

Maybe it could work this way, Emma thought. Maybe if she could phase out her online self and bring her real self, Regina would like that instead. It was worth a shot.

* * *

"I have this really cool game, you should play it," Henry yammered on as he handed over his phone to Emma, both of them sitting in the spinning chairs at the station.

The blonde just shrugged, not willing to pass up game time and invested herself in the app. Henry hovered over her shoulder, directing her to which ropes she should cut before she playfully with a hint of seriousness told him to butt out.

The boy just grinned at the look of concentration on Emma's face. "Here, I'll get it for you."

He took up her phone and began looking for the app. A message window popped up, and Henry's eyes widened. He gasped and gaped at Emma. "You're emailing my mom?"

Emma looked up from the game, confused. "She's the Mayor. I'm the Sheriff. We have to talk?"

Henry just turned the screen to face her, showing her the new email from MadameRegal.

Emma's eyes widened before she snatched the phone back. "It's. . ."

"Wait," Henry stood and pointed at her, " _you're_ the guy she's been talking to?"

"Ummm," Emma stammered before shutting her eyes. "It's complicated, kid."

"Are you?" He pressed.

Shit. She could lie to him, she'd done it before, but living two lives, that was exhausting.

"Yeah," she said quietly.

For a moment, the boy looked angry, and Emma could see that he certainly picked up some of Regina's mannerisms, but in an instant his face lit up with a huge grin and his own hand connecting with his forehead in realization. "Of course! You're the White Knight!"

"InRustyArmor, actually but-"

"Don't you see?" Henry urged. "You're supposed to save the Evil Queen. It's True Love!"

Operation Cobra. Right.

"Wait a minute," Henry spoke losing his enthusiasm. "You stood her up."

Now Emma felt uncomfortable talking about this, to Henry of all people. "I was there," she offered lamely.

"She was really upset," Henry said defensively.

Emma looked down at her palms. "Really?"

The boy simply nodded.

"I wanted to make it up to her," Emma offered. "She doesn't want to go out anymore."

"Just tell her," Henry said obviously. "Here, I'll do it."

He made a grab for her phone, but Emma's reflexes and survival instincts kicked in, stuffing her phone deep into her pocket.

"I will, Henry. I'm just looking for the right time." She glanced up at the clock. "Speaking of time, come on. Your mom wants you to meet her at Granny's for dinner."

She stood and donned her jacket, waiting for the boy to follow suit. She let her hand drop on his shoulder as she led them out of the station.

"You know," Henry began, looking up at Emma. "She really, really likes you."

Though Emma knew deep down Regina liked her, having it heard from Henry just made her feel elated inside.

* * *

Regina was waiting at Granny's, sitting at a middle table as she read her correspondent's recent response to her with a grin. Perhaps it was time to finally give him another chance. It was a simple misunderstanding the first time, after all.

The chime of the bell and the heavy gait of the woman had Regina knowing who had entered before Henry and the Sheriff sat down with a huff in front of her, depositing their belongings on the table.

"We're late, we know," Emma was already apologizing.

"I don't believe I extended a dinner invitation to you." Regina didn't even look up to address Emma.

"It's not too late to do it now," the blonde replied cheekily.

Henry grinned, watching his mothers' interactions with his new found knowledge.

Regina looked up with a stern glare, dismissing the blonde's statement with a wave of her hand. "I have documents I need you to sign. I'll be forwarding them to you, and you need to print them off and get them back to me by the end of the week."

"I think I can manage my emails," Emma said simply. She turned her head when Ruby called her and stood, leaving her phone, keys and badge on the table to go speak with the younger brunette.

Regina narrowed her eyes at her son's suspicious grin. The last time he had that look on his face, he had told her she was signed up for a dating website. "What?"

Henry just smirked. "Nothing."

He was back in the aloof phase, it seemed. Perfect.

She scrolled through her phone and forwarded the document to Emma's email, pleased when the blonde's phone vibrated twice upon receiving it. Next she sent a quick reply to Knight, asking him if he'd like to meet again, and pressing send quickly before she lost the courage to ask.

Again, Emma's phone vibrated twice.

Regina stared at it, the sounds of the noisy diner drowning out as she watched the lit up screen dim again. A distant memory of an interrupted Bon Jovi song as soon as she had sent an email to her mystery partner kicked at the back of her mind. _I can fix cars. . .extra bossy today. . ._

She kept the phone in her sights as she sent a simple 'hello' message to Knight.

It vibrated twice.


	8. Chapter 8

As if on autopilot, Regina grabbed the Sheriff's phone, ignored the confused questioning of Henry's "where are you going?", and stalked over to the blonde who was leaning over the counter engaged in a conversation with Ruby.

All Regina saw was red. The red of Emma's jacket. The red of her cheeks flushing in anger, confusion, embarrassment and something else entirely. It wasn't until she dug her nails around Emma's arm and all but dragged her away from a flabbergasted Ruby and the shocked stares of the diners did she shove the Sheriff outside.

"Ow! God, Regina what are you doing?" Emma cried trying to pry the older woman's grip off of her arm. There was sure to be five little perfect indents around Emma's biceps from the deceiving strength of the Mayor.

Regina's eyes blazed as if Emma had the audacity to speak. "What the hell is this?" She shoved the Sheriff's phone into her chest where Emma caught it automatically.

"My phone?" She examined the device confused.

Regina stepped closer to Emma, hot breath cascading down Emma's neck from Regina's sneer. "Don't be cheeky with me, Ms. Swan. Or should I call you Knightly?"

Emma's eyes bulged so wide they could be used as a dart board, and if Regina's anger was anything to go by, the Mayor was more than ready to go a few rounds. The blonde's lips parted as she stammered, a mixture of babbling and denial.

"Was this some sort of well-conceived joke?" Regina spat. "To toy me along and leave me looking like a fool?"

For a brief moment, moisture clouded Regina's vision before she expertly steeled away the look of hurt from her face, leaving only an angry and betrayed woman in its wake. Her voice was low as hazel eyes bore holes into green ones, but even she couldn't stop the hitch in it as she spoke. "And they call me evil."

With a sneer, she turned to retrieve Henry before her arm was held to stay. "No, Regina, wait. Let me-"

"Explain?" The Mayor hissed. "How the hell could you possibly explain that? Did you expect to get my secrets and use it against me?"

"No, I-"

Regina paused her rant and thought for a moment. When she spoke, her words came out slow and deliberate. "Did you know it was me the whole time?"

Emma gulped but nodded once. "Yes."

Regina slapped her.

The sound reverberated in the quiet streets, but if their yelling and abrupt departure from the diner hadn't drawn attention from the patrons located inside, that slap sure as hell did.

Emma stumbled back from the impact, holding a palm to her reddened cheek as she leaned onto the stacked patio chairs to retrieve her balance. She straightened, moving her jaw and rubbing her cheek, nodding and pointing at Regina. "Okay, I deserve that."

"Oh believe me, Ms. Swan, that is the least you deserve," the brunette snarled. "Stay away from me and my son."

"I wasn't playing you!" Emma called when Regina had walked a few paces away.

Regina turned abruptly and stormed up to Emma so fast the blonde backed up into the pile of stacked chairs. "You were listed as a man."

The Sheriff winced. "Ruby did it."

It was Regina's turn to widen her eyes, horrified. "Miss Lucas knows?"

"No!" Emma rushed to amend. "She just made my profile. She doesn't know about us."

"There is no 'us', Ms. Swan," Regina snapped, her face inches away from Emma's as if her proximity would sear the words into the blonde's tiny brain. "There never was, and there never will be."

Both women remained standing there despite the opening and closing of the diner's entrance, one furious, the other regretful.

"Mom?" Henry called hesitantly.

Regina backed up a step, unclenching her fist she had unconsciously been tensing.

"You liked me," Emma whispered softly.

Regina stared at the woman as she backed away, no confirmation nor denial. "You lied."

With that the brunette turned on her heels, wrapping an arm around Henry's shoulder as she held her head high and walked away.

* * *

 

_Regina,_

_I know you're upset and that's totally understandable, I get that. But I wasn't trying to hurt you. Please let me explain. Meet me online at 8 to hear me out._

_I'm sorry._

_Emma_

Mary Margaret leaned against the kitchen counter, watching her roommate panic over her phone and laptop. She knew something drastic occurred earlier today at the diner when Ruby phoned her with the juicy gossip of Emma and Regina yelling at each other in front of Granny's, but when the blonde came home after that phone call, Mary Margaret knew that her friend's secret was out.

She'd watch Emma immediately run to her room and bring her laptop down to their dining table, alternating between checking her computer and phone for any new messages or if a certain person was online.

That had been hours ago.

It was now quarter to eight, and Mary Margaret watched as the blonde chewed her nails anxiously.

The brunette walked over with two cups of hot chocolate and set one down in front of the Sheriff who barely registered the gesture.

"Emma," Mary Margaret spoke softly, her hand covering the blonde's. "You need to give her time."

Emma removed her hand from her roommate's and tugged at her hair, leaving her head in her hands. "She hates me. She hates me."

"Well that's not any different from before," the brunette mused but quickly apologized after the glare she received.

Together they watched the clock strike 8 and still no sign of Regina.

"Maybe she didn't get your email," the petite woman suggested upon looking at Emma's crestfallen face.

The blonde simply nodded but said nothing as she eyed her IM screen.

Mary Margaret waited with Emma for two more hours, sighing and gathering up their mugs of cocoa. Emma's went untouched. She murmured her good night on deaf ears when she left the blonde staring blankly at her screens.

* * *

 

 

Emma gave Regina time. She gave her a week. Which is sufficient enough time - too much for her liking - but sufficient enough. Every day for that week, the blonde had sent an email requesting Regina to either come online or meet her in public. She never showed.

Now Emma was antsy. Regina had deleted her Singlebrooke account and was purposely avoiding the Sheriff. She hadn't spoke to Regina in a week, and after two months of constant communication that was suddenly ripped from under her size nine boots, Emma was going through some serious withdrawals.

She had to be feeling this too, Emma reasoned. She enjoyed it as much as Emma had, so she had to be itching to talk to Emma. Any day now.

Who was she kidding? Emma stood in her office and wandered out to the cell area. Instinctively, she checked her phone for any messages and kicked herself for doing so. Regina wasn't going to talk to her.

Emma slumped on a cot in a cell, her back holding up the wall with her legs unceremoniously sticking straight out. She knew Regina liked her. Henry had confirmed it, and the Mayor basically did too. Emma just needed to remind her of that.

But she still wasn't sure if Regina was mad because Emma was a woman or at the plain old fact that it was Emma. Probably both.

The Sheriff scowled to herself as she stuffed her hands into her jacket pocket, feeling a familiar slip of paper. Her eyes flashed with determination as she stood and made her way out of the station.

* * *

 

Regina's eyes scanned her inbox for the umpteenth time this week. It was an action she was so used to and still unable to stop. Almost instantly her eyes zeroed in on Emma's personal emails, 7 in total since the day she had torn the Sheriff to shreds in front of Granny's.

She had read them, all apologizing, begging her to talk to the blonde, but she never did. Though the night before had Regina instinctively logging in, the Mayor had caught herself in the act before closing her laptop and calling it a night.

The day after she found out Emma was online friend all this time, Regina, still fueled with anger and embarrassment, was set on deleting every single one of the blonde's emails. But as she clicked on the first one, her mouse hovering over the delete button, her eyes roved over the screen reading the message.

Instead of doing a mass cleaning of her inbox, Regina wound up reading a good portion of their email interactions before deciding that it was too late in the evening to do that now and it would get done another day. It never did.

So Regina sat at her desk in Town Hall, her fingers steepled to her forehead hiding behind the excuse of boredom when in reality a mixture of conflicting emotions brewed inside her. It wasn't until a commotion outside her office had her looking up as a mass of wild blonde hair came barging through the door.

Regina stood. "Not now, Ms. Swan."

Emma didn't respond, only shut the door and walked to the Mayor's desk.

The brunette could see the hesitance in Emma's eyes, but there was a determination behind it as Emma clung to a familiar rectangular box.

"I need to know something," spoke the blonde.

"You need to know many things, Sheriff," Regina said firmly, "like when to realize you are not wanted."

Emma took a final step, the front of her legs hitting the desk. She looked at Regina with vulnerable eyes. "Does it matter that I'm a woman?"

The question took Regina by surprise though she didn't show it. "If I had emailed you and you knew I was a woman, but you didn't know it was me, would that change your feelings?"

"I do not have feelings for you," Regina stuck firmly by it, emphasizing her point with a chopping movement of her hand on each word.

"But we were friends," the blonde reminded, "and you may not like me, you may hate me actually, but I know you liked him. So would it have mattered if you already knew I was woman?"

Regina could see that the silence between them made the blonde nervous. Finally she put Emma out of her misery. "No."

Emma's eyes fluttered shut in relief, exhaling graciously.

"That doesn't change the fact that-"

"I lied. I know."

"Is there something you want?" Regina folded her arms across her chest.

Emma laid the box on Regina's desk, never breaking eye contact with her. "This is what you should have gotten on our date." She rushed to speak before the brunette could interrupt. "I know I lied, but that was the only way I could get to know you better."

"Why would you want to do that?"

The blonde offered up a tight smile. "It doesn't matter that you're a woman either."

Regina watched as Emma stuffed her hands in her pockets and turn, freeing an arm to open the door and walk herself out.

* * *

 

She stayed standing momentarily, eyeing the box waiting for her on her desk before she finally sat down again and pulled it to her.

She wasn't surprised to find another single long stem peach rose, and already she could smell its sweet fragrance. She was curious, however, to find a crumpled up note, clearly smoothed out in a failed attempt to save it, and written on it in Emma's surprisingly neat script.

_Regina,_

_I know you said you like roses, and if my trusty search engine is right, peach symbolizes "let's get together". But if you're absolutely appalled by me, and I understand if you are, I still want you to have this. It also means "gratitude" and "appreciation". I'm glad I got to know you, and I hope in time, you'll be glad you got to know me too._

_\- KnightInRustyArmour, better known as Ms. Swan, but you can call me Emma._

Regina pursed her lips at the message. Her date had showed up that night, he - she - just didn't reveal herself. She leaned back in her chair, the thornless rose intertwined between her fingers as she stared at the scrap paper on her desk.

She had every right to be furious. She asked for honesty, and Emma couldn't even give that to her. It didn't matter how much she enjoyed emailing the blonde, or how she felt something good for the first time in a long time. For all she knew the blonde could have just been faking it.

But that note sitting on her desk said otherwise, as did the seven emails sitting in her inbox.

Setting the rose back into its home, she shook her head to clear her thoughts before losing herself in work.

_Workaholic._

She groaned to herself. Emma ruined everything.

* * *

 

By the time Regina left her office, bringing the box and its contents with her as an afterthought, she headed straight for her Benz and squinted at the paper fluttering in her windshield wiper.

Curse that Sheriff if she decided to give her a ticket as an excuse to get them alone.

But when she got closer she saw it was a generic white paper, folded over several times in an attempt to preserve its contents. She plucked it from her wiper and opened it, rolling her eyes at the familiar script.

_I don't know about you, but I'm going crazy not talking to you every minute of every day. You can ignore my emails, throw out my flowers - but I hope you don't - delete me off IM, but I still want to talk to you._

_It's me. Emma. I work as the Sheriff. I'm blonde and drive around Storybrooke whenever Pongo escapes Archie's yard, cats get stuck in trees or the very rare times Mr. Gold goes crazy and attacks Moe._

_I guess the only air of mystery we have now is me wondering if my attempts will be useless. There will be more than one, and no, you can't have a restraining order put against me. I'm the Sheriff, remember?_

_I've been working on the friendship thing. I haven't mastered it yet, but I think putting myself out there, like you did, is a big step._

_Can I entice you into talking to me by telling you my biggest regret?_

_\- Emma_

Regina didn't know what to make of the note as she sat staring straight ahead in her Benz. She folded the note and put it in the box before resting her head on the steering wheel.

She knew pursuit better than most. Her beauty was well-known in her youth, and even in Storybrooke Sidney remained her lap dog. But being pursued by Emma? Well, that was a different story entirely.

* * *

 

"It was Emma?" Kathryn asked surprised, looking at the roses and notes her friend had brought over.

Regina just made a noise of acknowledgment before draining the last of her wine.

"She was posted as a man," Kathryn pointed out.

"That wouldn't even had been a problem," the brunette muttered into her glass.

"So she created this entirely new person just to talk to you?"

"That would be correct."

"I know you want me to be mad, but that's kind of sweet." Kathryn said softly, purposely avoiding the Mayor's gaze.

"Excuse me?" Regina gawked. "She posed under false pretenses."

"You would think our Sheriff would have more sense than that," Kathryn said uneasy.

"I've been questioning the intelligence of that woman since the day she stepped into my town."

"She must have been completely different online," the blonde thought aloud in an attempt to show her allegiances to the Mayor.

Regina thought it over, squinting to herself. Emma was still crude, her jokes were still sub-par and she had managed to hold her own in conversation in real life and online. The only difference was that they didn't bicker online. They had flirted. A lot. Which resembled bickering. Regina scowled to herself before occupying her treacherous thoughts with sipping her wine.

"She was still the same," Regina dismissed quickly. She wondered how she never picked up on it when it seemed so obvious now. No family, living with a roommate and the libido of a pre-pubescent boy. That reeked of Emma Swan.

She swirled her glass deep in thought. What's enticing conversation between two people when their entire relationship was based on a lie?

Kathryn tilted her head and examine the brunette. "If she was the same then what's the problem?"

" _What's the problem?"_ Regina repeated, her tone dangerous.

The blonde shrugged unaffected. "It just seems like the biggest issue here is that she lied about who she was."

"Isn't that enough?" Regina asked scornfully.

Kathryn nodded. "But for how long?"

 


	9. Chapter 9

Regina didn't know how long. She was tempted to say forever, vowing to herself never to open up like that again. Despite the conflicting emotions currently circling her brain, she responded with a distant, "However long it takes."

She thought her message was loud and clear when she didn't respond to Emma's windshield wiper note. The blatant keep-the-hell-out-of-my-life didn't go unnoticed, and for two days following that second rose and that folded piece of printer paper, Regina patted herself on the back for a job well done at getting rid of Emma. Now all she had to do was delete those emails, forget those memories and keep the roses, one pressed in a scrapbook, the other still preserved in its box, out of her sight. Then came her treacherous emotions, but that would be dealt with in due time under the generous watch of her cider.

She should have known Emma had something planning after two quiet days of reprieve.

She pulled her Benz into her driveway after picking up Henry from his session, calling after him to wash up for dinner when he raced into the house before walking over to her mail box. She didn't look at the envelopes until she tossed her keys into the bowl on the front side table in the foyer and placed her purse next to it.

Bills. Bills. Junk. Coupon. Bills. Letter for her. Junk.

She halted in her browsing and skimmed through the envelopes to retrieve a plain one with her name and address scrawled on it and a stamp in the corner. There was no return address, and curiosity got the better of her as she disregarded the other envelopes and brought the one in her hands into her study to retrieve her letter opener.

Slicing through the top, she pulled out the paper only to find a page full of Emma's writing. She shut her eyes in annoyance and growled under her breath. That pesky little blonde didn't know when to quit.

One would think Regina, the most powerful and cold-hearted woman in Storybrooke, would just toss the letter into the fireplace and be done with it, but she knew that knowledge against an opponent was power. That's why she kept the emails, and the roses and the printer paper note. That's why she leaned against her desk, the new letter in her hand and began reading it. For knowledge, of course.

_Dear Regina,_

_I think this is the first time I'm writing a real letter. The ones I used to write to Santa didn't count. They weren't really letters either, just pictures of me and my parents. Did you know how expensive stamps are? No wonder people text and email. Yes, I bought a book of stamps before I even began writing this._

_You said I lied to you, which I did, I accept responsibility for that. I don't think you're gonna come around any time soon, and as much as I want to tell you this in person, I need to get this out now._

_The truth is, I've been wanting to talk to you for a really long time. A ridiculously long time. The mine incident to be exact. I just remember you stepping towards me, and honestly I don't even know what you said, but all I could think about was that it was impossible for you to be that pretty looking so frazzled, but you were. I know, I know. Henry's life was in danger that day, but it's true._

_I'll admit, I tried to squash whatever conflict was going on in my mind about you, but when I became Sheriff I found I had a lot of time for those warring sides to fight it out. You won._

_I didn't know how to go about talking to you. I still don't know how, I mean I'm writing a letter, but as annoying as I am, you liked it when I pushed your buttons too. Don't eye roll at the page, Regina. We sought each other out._

_I may have lied about my identity, but I still think Jane Austen writes boring books, Tarantino is a directing genius, Nicholas Sparks is decent, and our musical baby made me appreciate, as you've said, 'real music'. By the way, our real son isn't in a phase. He just wants to see you happy._

_So you got to know the real me. It's just a different mask._

_Hoping the person underneath it is to your liking,_

_Emma Swan_

Regina continued holding on to the letter well after she had finished reading it. She wasn't aware the blonde's feelings extended that deep, but she knew exactly what moment during the mine incident where Regina herself stepped instinctively closer to Emma as a source of comfort.

The heavy running of footsteps down the stairs jarred the brunette from her thoughts. She folded the letter back into its envelope and opened her desk drawer, depositing it beside Emma's first note. She gave it a final glance before shaking her head and leaving the room to prepare for dinner.

* * *

 

Dinner, for the past year or so, had been unnaturally quiet, but the last month was sporadically filled with chatter between mother and son. Now, it was back to Henry pushing his vegetables around on his plate with his head hung studying the designs on the platter.

The brunette woman noticed he'd look up and back down every few minutes, his lip twitching wanting to talk but lacking the courage to do so.

Finally the boy looked up and kept his gaze on his mother. "Do you miss it?"

Swallowing the food in her mouth, Regina cleared her throat, eager at the distraction and the fact that Henry was talking to her. "Miss what, dear?"

"Having someone to talk to all the time."

"Did Ms. Swan ask you to say that?" Regina defended automatically.

The boy narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Do you?"

The brunette took up her wine glass and motioned to Henry's plate. "Eat your vegetables."

"You didn't answer me," Henry pointed out.

Regina sighed but answered in the negative. "No. Vegetables now."

* * *

 

The Mayor couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew Henry was up to something. After her answer to him, she noticed the boy watching her every move. By the time it was time for bed, the boy had sprinted up to his room.

Tomorrow, Regina promised herself, looking up from the foyer at Henry's half-closed door and began making her way up the stairs. Tomorrow she'd deal with her aloof son. Tonight she just wanted to sleep.

Upon opening her door, she habitually turned on her bedside lamp, unzipped her dress and turned to retrieve the robe resting on her vanity's stool. She froze when she saw the sticky note on her mirror.

Rushing the several steps to it, she plucked it from the mirror and wasn't surprised it was in Emma's script.

_I didn't sneak into your room, I swear. I have an accomplice._

_Also, I've never been the flowers type of girl. Chocolates for me._

_P.S. Good night_

Regina huffed. The blonde wasn't kidding when she said there'd be more of these.

* * *

 

For over three weeks, Regina had been receiving little notes from Emma in the most obscure of places. One dewy morning, she found the words ' _Good Morning_ ' wiped into her Benz windshield. Another incident had the brunette going to Henry's school for a meeting with Ms. Blanchard only to have the teacher turn bright red and hand over an index card with the message ' _I thought you'd appreciate Mary Margaret's embarrassment. My gift to you. I'm not a fan of Christmas, but Love Actually was a great movie -Emma_ '. Even Kathryn had gotten conned into slipping secret messages to Storybrooke's Mayor, and the blonde was all too pleased to be part of the conspiracy.

It unnerved Regina that she was now on the lookout for the notes, wondering what else could Emma possibly divulge about herself. She was almost embarrassed to say that she kept the notes, tucked safely away in her home office drawer which she now deemed The Emma Box.

Over the course of three weeks, she must have received at least four notes a day, hidden in her jacket, written on her coffee cups, facts about Emma Swan.

_Born in Maine, took English lit night schooling, finished her GED in correctional facilities, irrational fear of snakes, got her head stuck in a balcony railing once as a dare, worked at a diner and saved a man's life using the Heimlich._

Nearly 100 little notes filled The Emma Box full of superficial admissions like her favourite holiday to deep anecdotes about the blonde's life that she surely hadn't shared with anyone else.

It wasn't until she stepped out of her office and headed towards the conference room did she realize that she'd be in the same room as Emma for a prolonged period of time.

She said her pleasantries to the men and women already seated at round table and gave no change in expression when she saw Emma already seated directly across from her, though her pulse picked up unsteadily.

She sat in her usual spot and shuffled her folders straight, purposely looking everywhere except at the blonde woman who seemed captivated and amused.

"First order of business is the-" the Mayor stopped when she opened up a file to find a sticky note on the first page and a hurried 'Hi' scribbled on it. Her body disobeyed her and almost naturally her eyes wandered up and across from her to Emma who gave a small smile and mouthed the word that distracted her. She ducked her head back down and cleared her throat. "-is the Main Street repairs. After a month, there are still no results."

She directed her glare to the man in charge of the project who immediately flushed and stood to explain every little cost and benefit they encountered.

Against her better judgment, Regina immediately tuned Mr. Patterson out. Though her eyes were focused on him, nodding every now and again at his carefully constructed graphs, her periphery eyed the yellow post-it sticking on her file. Hi. That's it? That's all Emma had to say for today?

Regina leaned over to sip at her water. Perhaps the Sheriff was losing steam, backing off. Good. She slammed her glass down with more force than necessary.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her cell phone light up. She had a deep suspicion as to who it was, she'd been feeling green eyes burn into her skin and she swore the blonde had the ability to make her flush, but she chose to ignore it. Let her chase, thought the brunette.

Regina would argue that she caved due to her boredom. After her screen had darkened again, the drone of the man became white noise and she was just waiting for another message that never came. Stealthily slipping her phone into her lap, Regina checked the message. Just to delete it, she told herself.

_This guy's boring. How have you been?_

The Mayor glanced up and saw that the Sheriff was picking at her nails, leaning back in her chair having zoned out long before Mr. Patterson began speaking. Perhaps she'd be able to put an end to Emma's antics once and for all.

**You're stalking me.**

_You've kept my notes._

**Now I can see why you're so adept at finding people. Do you annoy them out of their hiding spot?**

_Clearly worked for you. Henry's undercover. Operation Singlebrooke._

**None of your advances have worked on me, Ms. Swan. And I'll be having a long chat with my son.**

_Do you always email in meetings?_

**When there's a problem I need taking care of, yes.**

_Is there a problem you need taking care of, Madame Mayor? ;)_

Regina looked up from her phone to glare at the blonde across from her, but she was only rewarded with a pleased smirk on Emma's cocky face.

**Do not go there, Ms. Swan.**

_Why? Can't finish it? I remember your prudish image being torn apart in a similar circumstance._

**I think we both know that I am not a prude, and you are disregarding your work as Sheriff. Pay attention.**

_We both know that, don't we? 'We' being the operative word. Well, hello there kettle._

**The operative word for you would ruin my public image. Pay attention and stop emailing!**

Regina, and the rest of the board looked up upon hearing the Sheriff's laugh. The blonde looked up at their collective gazes and muttered an apology through her grin before turning back to her lap.

_You could stop responding, Regina._

**You could stop disrupting the meeting.**

_I could, but this is more fun. Far better to look at too._

Regina couldn't stop the blush forming on her cheeks. Before she could type, Emma had sent another message.

_I like it when you do that._

**I can't say I approve of your stalking.**

_You may not approve of it, but you like it. And it's not stalking. It's expressing interest._

**Mind expressing your interest in your work?**

_I could say the same for you. Mr. Patterson has been calling your name two emails ago._

Regina's head snapped up, and all eyes were on her. Her eyes widened just a little bit, and out of the corner of her eye she could see the Sheriff stifling a laugh.

"Did you hear me, Mayor Mills?" Mr. Patterson asked.

Quick on her feet, she pointed to her phone. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut this short. I've received an urgent email that needs my immediate attention." Standing, she gathered her belongings while many looked on dumbfounded. Emma was sitting back and enjoying the show. "We'll deliberate again in two weeks' time."

With that, the Mayor hurried to rush out of the conference room, Emma right on her heels. Suddenly Regina whipped around, catching the blonde off guard. "Don't. Don't say a word."

Emma softened at Regina's agitated expression. "I missed that," she admitted.

"What? Getting scorned every other day?" Regina asked as she resumed her walk to her office.

"Talking to you."

"Whatever you may think-"

"No, Regina," Emma hurried the extra step to get in front of the Mayor and blocked her path. "Whatever you may think, however mad you are, you answered back."

Regina's lips parted at Emma's strict tone with her. No one talked to her like that. She shut it when the blonde fished into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper, placing it on top of the files Regina was already carrying. Without another word, Emma walked away.

Regina exhaled deeply, catching the loose paper before it could float to the ground and read it.

_My favourite thing about you is the way you speak your mind even though your eyes give you away, but that's not the only thing I like._

Regina held the paper down with a few fingertips and tilted her lips up in a covert smile. She'd been on the receiving end of many compliments, but never had someone commented on her thoughts or anything other than her more well-endowed assets.

She glanced up at the retreating figure of Emma Swan and swallowed hard.

How long, Regina?


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey Ruby," Emma muttered under her breath at the far end of the diner's counter, writing quickly on the back of a receipt. "Can you give this to Regina?"

The brunette raised an amused eyebrow. "You're still doing that?"

Emma looked up confused. "Yeah. Why?"

"It's been a month, Emma," the waitress reasoned.

"So?"

"She hasn't done anything about it."

"She talked to me again, at that meeting," the Sheriff pointed out.

"Yeah, once and that was like a week ago. Has she contacted you since then?" Ruby asked.

"She just needs some time," Emma reasoned.

"No offense, Sheriff, but you're not really giving her that."

Emma pursed her lips at the note in between her fingers. "When am I supposed to thank you again?"

Ruby smirked. "When you listen to me and let the Mayor cool off. Still want me to give it?"

Emma glanced at the note then to the brunette reading a newspaper at the table by the windows. She drained the rest of her hot chocolate and stood, pocketing the note. "Remind me to fire you when this doesn't work out."

Ruby laughed and called out as the blonde headed towards the exit. "You won't fire me. Who will get your grilled cheese for lunch?"

Emma gave an exaggerated eye roll, forcing herself to look ahead and not glance at Regina.

* * *

 

It was official. Emma was an addict. Her drug? Regina Mills. Though she hadn't spoken to the brunette since their email interaction during the budget meeting, at least Emma knew Regina would be receiving her notes.

Upon Ruby's advice, Emma had stopped with leaving her Easter eggs for the Mayor to find. After distancing herself from the task for a full twelve hours, Emma scrunched up her face in deep contemplation. Holy shit, she was obsessive. She rolled her eyes. Clearly her roommate was having an effect on her.

Still, Emma couldn't help but wonder maybe the notes got through to Regina. Or maybe the brunette just wants her to stop.

It was only eight and, true to her word, Emma kept away from Regina. This included refraining from logging into her IM account precisely from 8-10 just to see if Regina would ever log back on. Had the blonde kept to her rigorous schedule, she would have witnessed just that.

* * *

Regina was nervous, to say the least. It was already noon and not one message from Emma graced her path. She was surprised when she didn't get one that morning at the diner. She could have sworn she saw Emma scribbling on a piece of paper out of the corner of her eye, not that she was watching, but after she had stood and her deputy laughed about not being fired, Regina still remained note-less.

She waited an extra ten minutes after receiving her bill to see if one of the many conspirators would pop up and even began watching Ruby's movements to see if she would return to her table, but no one came.

No note. No cryptically circled words in her newspaper. No morning greeting on her coffee cup.

Feeling rather lost, Regina paid for her breakfast and headed to her car.

Four hours later, Regina was feeling anxiety just waiting for something to pop up. How clever could the blonde really get after all?

Not one to wait to be surprised, Regina marched out of her office and stood directly in front of her secretary's desk with a stern glare, earning herself a squeak from the mousy woman.

"Do you have something for me?" Regina asked, her tone indicating she better cough up whatever message Emma had given her.

The petite woman's eyes widened as she looked frantically around her desk for something to give to the Mayor. "What exactly do you need?"

Regina pursed her lips. "If I have to tell you then you don't have it."

The woman stammered as she sorted through files. "I have Mr. Gold's proposal, and the school board is looking into renovations and-"

Regina scowled and snatched random files off the desk and turned on her heels. The woman was useless.

She dropped the files on her desk and slumped into her chair. For a moment she eyed them cautiously then in a quick movement she began rifling through them, looking for a sticky note or some sort of comment in the margin.

Nothing.

And why would there be? Emma wasn't psychic. She couldn't have possibly known that exchange was going to happen or that she'd pick up _those_ files.

Regina groaned to herself and began rubbing at her temples.

This is a good thing, she argued. The Sheriff was giving up.

As much as she tried to convince herself as such, it didn't change how distracted she was from her work or how she began walking around Town Hall, under the guise of building rapport with her colleagues, but secretly looking for a note so she could get some work done.

She didn't find one.

* * *

 

"Are you okay?" Henry asked over dinner. "You're kind of. . .twitchy."

"Henry," Regina scolded as if it were foul language.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" Henry questioned. His eyes suddenly brightened. "A date? Are you meeting Emma online?"

She glared pointedly. "No."

"Oh." The disappointment in his voice was evident.

The Mayor cleared her throat before leaning closer and spoke an octave lower. "Have you seen Ms. Swan today?"

Henry averted his eyes knowing full well his mother had forbade him from seeing her, even though he knew she knew he was helping her in Operation Singlebrooke. "Uh no."

"You won't be in trouble," Regina rushed to clarify.

He shrugged still avoiding eye contact. "She walked me to Archie's from the bus stop."

"What did you two talk about?"

"School. Games. She beat her high score on Fruit Ninja." Henry answered finally looking up.

"Anything else?" Regina hinted.

The boy jutted out his lip in remembrance before shaking his head. "No."

Regina leaned back and sighed. If Emma was going to give something to Henry he would have already planted it. Her eyes widened at the realization. "Homework then bed."

She stood and gathered their plates hurriedly, depositing them in the dishwasher before briskly walking up to her room. She didn't realize she was holding her breath until she released it in disappointment, though the Mayor would contend it was a pleased surprise.

Nothing in here either. Her mirror was clear, no flowers on her bed - not that that one had happened yet - or ever.

Regina closed her eyes and tried to shut herself up.

She left the room displeased and agitated before making her way to her study to try to get some work done that she'd neglected to do this morning. Her emails held nothing new, her text messages were mainly from Kathryn or Henry, and somewhere between allocating funds to Storybrooke Prep and responding to work emails, Regina found herself on her IM account with no one online.

Did Emma really give up? Sure, the blonde was persistent when she wanted to stay in town and defy Regina's wishes, but now she backs down just like that?

She shut her computer down angrily, unsure of this sudden emotion. She should be rejoicing. She got exactly what she wanted.

* * *

 

"Why are you listening to _Miracle_ on repeat?" Mary Margaret had finally had enough of the song as it made its way around for the eleventh time and climbed up the stairs to roommate's bedroom to find the blonde staring up at the ceiling.

"It's not on repeat," Emma argued. As soon as the song was done she pointed her remote in the general direction of her dock and clicked.

Mary Margaret already had her eyes shut as the bars of the song repeated itself.

"You've been holing yourself in here for two days," the teacher observed and made her way to sit on the bed. "Come out to dinner. We'll visit Ruby at the diner."

"We can do that any day."

"But today we'll help you forget about Regina," the brunette argued softly.

She gave a small smile when Emma whipped her head to the side to look at her. After a silent conversation shared between the two, Emma grumbled and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

* * *

 

Regina nursed her second glass of cider. She didn't know why she had been so irritable the last two days, but she was sure it was entirely the blonde Sheriff's fault.

Emma had finally stopped all attempts at contacting her, and though Regina should have been thrilled, she oddly felt a sense of loss.

That loss was quickly replaced with anger when she had taken Henry to dinner at Granny's that night and found Emma and her two brunette friends laughing and enjoying their dinner and ignoring the Mayor's presence entirely.

She scowled. Clearly she had just been a game to Emma which she was quick to get bored of.

After putting Henry to bed, she immediately went to her cider bottle and drank, allowing the soft buzz to ease the tension away.

It wasn't enough though.

Regina needed retribution, and she'd get it. Gulping down her third and fourth glass, she fished out her cell from her purse and began composing a message. Luckily auto-correct was on her side for her fingers wouldn't cooperate with her buzzed mind. Typing furiously for a few minutes, Regina pressed 'send', pleased with herself before wobbly walking up to her bed to lay in a fit of restless sleep.

* * *

 

The Mayor was doing work for once, pushing the makings of a headache from her mind as a result too much cider from the night before. It wasn't until her door opened and slammed shut did she start to relinquish her hold on keeping her headache at bay.

"Ms. Swan-"

Emma stalked around the mayoral desk and tugged the brunette up. Regina's eyes widened at the unexpected move and their close proximity.

"What the hell are you doing?" Regina gaped.

Emma just studied her expression before slipping a paper into her hand.

Furrowing her brow, Regina automatically looked into her palm and unfolded the paper.

_Do you want to go on a date with me?_

_Yes:_

_No:_

_\- Emma_

She gasped and looked up at the Sheriff. "What is this?"

"A question," Emma answered obviously.

"Why on earth would I want to do that, after everything you've put me through?" Regina asked harshly though the usual venom in her voice was missing.

"Because your email said you missed me," Emma reasoned logically.

The brunette scoffed. "It said no such thing."

"You forget, Madame Mayor," Emma said as she pulled out her phone. "I can read between the lines."

With a smirk, she began reading out loud Regina's email.

**Dear Ms. Swan,**

**I couldn't help but notice your persistence has been waning. It appears you've finally learned something.**

**Though your manners could use some work because if you're going to do something as crazy as flourishing a woman with love notes than it would be common courtesy to tell her that you're going to stop. I lost two days of work waiting around for your stupid notes.**

**I doubt you care though. You've clearly already pushed me to the back of your mind. What happened to the lovesick Sheriff who looked up when I walked into Granny's? Here I thought you were a worthy adversary, but now I know that as soon as you don't get your way you give up. I knew you thought this was a game.**

**Luckily for me I did not cave.**

Emma glanced up at the Mayor, her expression softened. For her part, Regina remained petulant though the blush forming on her cheeks after hearing what she wrote out loud couldn't be hidden.

"I didn't say I missed you," Regina muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You didn't have to," Emma whispered. She could see Regina steel her jaw and put her walls up, so Emma backed up a step. She motioned to the note still in the Mayor's hand. "You don't have to answer it now."

Emma stayed standing in front of her just a moment longer before offering a small smile and heading to the doors.

* * *

 

Mary Margaret had been living with Emma for the past six months. She knew her roommate wasn't a very emotional person. In fact, the blonde only ever really opened herself whenever Henry was upset or when she had a confrontation with Regina. After realizing Emma's feelings for the Mayor, Mary Margaret could see the effect the older woman was having on her friend.

But ever since Emma had been outed on the whole dating profile thing, she noticed Emma had gone through an array of emotions. There were those depressed first couple of days, followed by scheming-Emma, which Mary Margaret hadn't forgiven the blonde for yet - her own involvement in the plan had her mortified. Then depressed Emma was back again only she was mixed with a nervous twitch.

But this Emma, Mary Margaret thought as she walked through her apartment door to find the blonde jumping up and down with a giant grin on her face, this Emma was another being entirely.

"Uh, Emma? Are you okay?" The teacher approached cautiously.

Without answering, the blonde simply shoved her phone into Mary Margaret's hand. Mary Margaret squinted her eyes in confusion glancing at Emma's eerily happy face then down to the device.

It was an email from Regina and simply held one word.

**Yes.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've finally caught up with moving my OUAT fics over to AO3. This, and anything else posted after this, will be updated simultaneously with FF.net. I hope you guys have enjoyed it so far!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: You guys never cease to amaze me. Honestly, you're the best readers in the world, and I wouldn't be updating so frequently, and recently making friends with so many of you, if it wasn't for your response to this so thank you! 2x12 is coming on in a couple hours, and I'm not sure I'm ready. Prayer circle in the hopes that Regina doesn't get tortured this episode.

Emma didn't know why she was so anxious as she sat in her bug outside Granny's the next day. Regina had already said yes, and all the blonde needed was to confirm details with her. It shouldn't have to be this hard, yet she continued to sit in her car, seeing Regina inside sitting at her usual table by the window. What if she hadn't agreed? What if it was payback? Emma bit her lip, remaining firmly in the car.

It wasn't until ten minutes later when the Mayor left the establishment did Emma frantically undo her seat belt and scurried out of the driver's seat.

"Regina!" Emma called, barely having time to slam her door shut.

The brunette turned around just as she passed the back pathway leading to the Bed and Breakfast. Her expression was a mixture of hesitance and amusement.

Emma jogged the few meters to stand in front of the older woman and halted. "Hi."

"Hello, Ms. Swan," Regina said with her politician's smile. "Opted out of breakfast this morning?"

"I wanted to talk to you," Emma said, shrugging off her nerves and catching the other woman's gaze. "About our date."

"Yes?"

Emma beamed. That was soon becoming her new favourite word. "Tomorrow night? I'll pick you up at seven?"

"In that death trap?" Regina gaped at Emma's car behind her.

"My car's never died on me," Emma defended. "She's sturdier than she looks."

Regina pursed her lips but nodded once. "I'll suppose I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow."

Both women remained rooted at the spot, their gazes locked.

"Don't you have work, Sheriff?" Regina scolded, but Emma heard the playful undertone.

"Don't you have a town to run, Madame Mayor?" Emma challenged.

Regina rolled her eyes and turned on her heels. She turned her head slightly as she called over her shoulder. "Don't be late."

Emma couldn't suppress the grin from forming on her face.

"Young love," Ruby sighed dramatically, leaning over the banister of the patio set.

"I'm older than you," Emma reminded her, not surprised the waitress had been eavesdropping.

"You made a fake profile and hid notes in her 'locker'," Ruby teased. "That's young love."

Emma just shook her head and followed her into the diner.

"So where are you taking her, Casanova?" Ruby asked as she made her way behind the counter.

"Somewhere perfect."

* * *

 

_Knightly84_ : Funny seeing you here.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Old habits. So where have you planned on taking me?

_Knightly84_ : Direct. I like that.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Yes, well you also like that I'm 'bossy' which leads me to believe you are some sort of masochist.

_Knightly84_ : Does that make you a sadist?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : Is your mind constantly in the gutter?

_Knightly84_ : Is your mind constantly on sex?

. . .

_Knightly84_ : Stunned speechless. Score one for Emma.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I wasn't referring to sex.

_Knightly84_ : Right, of course not.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : You're pushing your luck, Sheriff.

_Knightly84_ : Formalities even over chat? I think we know each other better than that.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : That will be decided tomorrow night.

_Knightly84_ : What will?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I'm willing to test our compatibility.

_Knightly84_ : You make it sound like a business transaction.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I'm entitled to end a relationship should the date go sour.

_Knightly84_ : So you admit we have a relationship?

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I did not say that.

_Knightly84_ : You alluded to it.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : It was hypothetical.

_Knightly84_ : It was literal. You're testing me hoping I'll fail.

**BrownEyedGirl01** : I'm testing you hoping you won't.

. . .

_Knightly84_ : Okay. Be prepared for the date of your life.

* * *

 

Kathryn gasped as Regina descended down the steps. "Oh my, you look gorgeous!"

Regina couldn't contain the pleased grin as she looked down at her knee-length, strapless turquoise dress, a thin black belt cinched around her waist. Her hair was coiffed to perfection and her make up was light, letting her natural beauty show. "Is it too much?"

"Of course not," her friend gushed and squeezed her arm.

"Are you sure you're okay to take Henry for the evening?" Regina asked for the third time since the blonde arrived.

"Of course I can. You deserve a night out on the town," Kathryn smiled softly at the brunette and spoke sincerely. "I'm really glad you gave her a chance."

The Mayor offered up a small smile in return. "Let's hope it isn't futile."

Kathryn checked her watch and began gathering her belongings. "I should pick up Henry soon."

"Make sure he-"

"Eats all his vegetables, no sweets, no TV unless he's done his homework," the blonde finished and added for good measure. "I have your cell, Emma's cell, and Dr. Whale on speed dial."

Regina still looked agitated before her friend squeezed her arm again. "Relax. Have fun."

With that, Kathryn let herself out while Regina paced her foyer nervously, eyeing the clock as it neared seven.

* * *

 

"I have nothing to wear!" Emma yelled as she tossed clothes over her shoulder, her body hidden in her closet.

Mary Margaret avoided the flying cloth, thoroughly amused by her roommate's panic attack, over Regina no less.

"What about what you wore to the first date?" The brunette suggested.

"That's not special enough," Emma grumbled. "And I spilled alcohol on it."

Mary Margaret raised her eyebrow not even wanting to know how that happened.

"Emma, it's already six."

"I know!" She screeched and withdrew from the closet.

"Why are you freaking out?"

Emma sighed and sat down on the bed. "If I mess this up, she's probably gonna use it as an excuse not to see me anymore."

"That's all in your head, Em."

"She flat out told me," the blonde huffed. "I got the best restaurant in town, cleaned up the bug, and now what's stopping me is my lack of clothes."

She fell back on her bed, defeated.

Mary Margaret stood and pulled her up with unexpected strength. "Come on, you had me call her into my classroom to give her a note, so you better be going on this date."

Emma gaped at her roommate's tone. "Okay."

The petite woman browsed through Emma's closet, the metal on metal of the coat hangers sliding against the bar screeched as she pushed aside a wide array of leather jackets. Finally, the school teacher pulled out a red cocktail dress and lifted one of the only pairs of pumps Emma owned. She turned and held them out for her roommate. "Get dressed."

Slightly terrified of what the brunette could do, Emma snatched the objects away and headed to her bathroom to change quickly. By the time her hair was curled to her liking and her make up was perfectly applied, she stepped out to meet the grinning face of her friend.

She stood from her spot on the bed and handed over Emma's clutch. Glancing at the clock, Emma mentally patted herself on the back. She still had half an hour left before it was time to pick up Regina.

"Do I look okay?"

Mary Margaret smiled with her eyes. "She'll love it."

Emma exhaled a shaky breath before her cell started to ring. She dug her hand into her clutch to retrieve it and frowned seeing that it was forwarded from the station. "Hello?"

"Sheriff, Leroy's causing a disturbance again. He's had too much to drink." Jack, the owner of Storybrooke's bar, said.

Emma stopped listening after 'Leroy' and closed her eyes in frustration. "Can you call Ruby? I'm kind of busy tonight."

"I did, but she's the only one working at Granny's tonight. She can't leave."

Emma growled and slammed her phone shut. Leroy better hope she didn't catch him.

* * *

 

Regina scowled as she sat in her living room, the optimal seat to face the window to inspect whoever was approaching her pathway. For the past fifteen minutes, Mifflin Street was quiet.

She started to get nervous as 7 approached, but when the hour came and went, the brunette found herself to be annoyed. It was now almost 7:30 and there was no sign of Emma or her horrendous vehicle.

She mentally kicked herself in the head for thinking that this time would be different. For a long moment, she imagined Emma would rise to the occasion at making a spectacular date, but this tardiness just proved her incompetence.

She seriously contemplated kicking off her heels before the loud wail of sirens sounded faintly in the distance, increasing in volume as it drew near.

Baffled, Regina pulled back the curtain of her living room to see the red and blue flashing lights of the cruiser and a disgruntled Sheriff Swan step out in a tight red dress and four-inch pumps. She would have looked nice if her hair wasn't pulled back into a messy bun, completely taking away from the ensemble. Regina could see the blonde holding something in the dark, but the image was blurred as Emma tried to run as fast as her dress would allow up the mayoral pathway.

Frantic knocking sounded throughout the house, and Regina moved from her spying spot to open the door to an out of breath, terrified, apologetic Sheriff.

"I'm sorry," Emma exhaled immediately. "I'm late, I know, but Leroy was drunk and he was extra nasty tonight, and-" she paused in her explanation feeling deflated. Lifting the bouquet of burgundy roses up sheepishly, she spoke softly. "These are for you."

Regina's face remained stoic as she accepted the bouquet, naturally bringing them up to her nose to inhale its scent. To Emma's surprise, she opened the door just a little bit wider.

"I'll just go put this in some water."

Emma nodded dumbly, stepping into the foyer and up the few steps. While Regina was gone, she cringed at herself in the mirror. Quickly releasing her bun, her hair fell down in waves, a few kinks here and there, but at this point, anything was better than what it was before.

Regina returned with a hardened gaze on Emma. The blonde felt it and looked up, her lips parting as she finally took in Regina's attire.

"Woah," she breathed out, causing the brunette to grin.

"You clean up well too, Sheriff." The Mayor stepped forward and closed the distance between them. "I was about to call it a night, but you may have enticed me to continue it."

Emma grinned. "And you think I'm the sex fiend."

The brunette rolled her eyes before motioning to the door. "Shall we?"

Emma bit her lip. "The restaurant may have given our table away."

Regina raised a questioning eyebrow.

"But-," Emma interjected quickly, "I have a back up plan, if you're interested?"

"Very well," Regina nodded before following Emma out the door.

* * *

 

"We're taking your cruiser?" Regina asked with a tone that indicated the blonde better be joking.

Emma held the door open for her, her lip twitching apologetically. "Leroy-"

"Right." Regina slid into the passenger seat waiting for Emma to get in herself.

The lights and the sirens were turned off, and Emma began driving away from the mansion.

Relax, Em, the blonde thought as her hands tensed on the steering wheel. She's still going out with you even though you were late, so calm the fuck down.

"This is a step up from your bug," Regina commented.

"What do you have against my beetle anyway?" Emma immediately relaxed, quick to defend the honour of the only constant in her life for the past ten years.

"The car doors stick, there's rust on the exterior, when it backfires it sounds like a gunshot, and I'm sure its exhaust is the sole reason we have a hole in our ozone layer," the Mayor ticked off.

"She may be a little older, but I take good care of her," Emma smirked in Regina's direction with a wink.

Regina glared at the challenge and quickly met it. "Do you make her engine pur?"

Emma met her gaze briefly, her peripherals on the road. "You should see what I can do when I'm in-"

"Are you two gonna make out?"

Regina yelped at the intrusive voice and shifted as close to her door as possible. Leroy, who was previously lying down in the backseat, sat up and leaned forward, his breath wreaking of alcohol.

"'Cause I wouldn't mind." His smile was lecherous.

"Down boy," Emma spoke to him through her rearview.

"What is he doing in the backseat?" Regina turned her questioning eyes to Emma, who chose this moment to give her sole attention to the road.

"I didn't want to be late, so I 'cuffed him in the back. He just needs to sober up," the Sheriff reasoned.

"It's been a while since I've been on a date," Leroy grinned between the two.

"I wonder why," the brunette woman huffed and turned back to face the front. She leaned forward when she realized Emma was slowing down outside her apartment.

Regina raised an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. "That's mighty presumptuous of you, Ms. Swan."

Emma just glared, a smirk on her face before stepping out of the car and helping Regina out of her side. She peeked into the back quickly and spoke to the man restrained in the back. "If you're sober when I'm done I'll let you out."

The janitor just offered a sarcastic smile before dropping back down in the backseat.

Emma straightened and turned to see Regina looking up at her three-story building. Suddenly Emma got very self-conscious and made slow movements to walk up to the brunette. "It's no five-star restaurant, but I've been taking cooking lessons from a pretty good teacher."

Regina smirked and inclined her head, allowing Emma to lead the way.

* * *

 

Luckily for Emma, her roommate had opted on having a girl's night with Ruby after the waitress' shift which left their apartment blessedly empty.

"Wine?" Emma offered, pulling a bottle out of the chiller.

"Is it good?" Regina asked completely serious.

"Wouldn't offer it if it wasn't," the blonde said as she popped the cork and poured herself and her date a glass of red.

Upon taking it, Regina swirled the liquid in her glass before taking a cautious sip. The pleased surprise on her face didn't go unnoticed by Emma.

"Score 2 for Emma?" She smirked setting her glass down on the island. Without waiting for a reply, the younger woman strode over to her fridge pulling out various ingredients before grabbing a pot and filling it with water to boil.

Regina, unusual for her, took up a seat at the island's bar stool, watching Emma as she moved around the kitchen.

"So your idea of a date is a police car ride to your home where you'll cook me a meal that I taught to you?" The brunette mused.

Emma turned her head slightly as she poured milk into a large saucepan. "This one is an Emma creation, found on the internet."

"You're expanding your horizons, Sheriff," Regina feigned being impressed.

The blonde poured the fettuccine into the bowling water then moved to mix her sauce with a whisk, angling her body so she could see both her cooking and her date.

"My idea of a date was dinner at the french place I can't pronounce where restaurant acoustics are played while we eat incredibly delicious small-portioned food so expensive that the salad alone costs fifteen bucks, but all that wouldn't matter because I'd be sitting across you," Emma answered without missing a beat.

Regina pulled her head back at Emma's admission, narrowing her widened eyes at the pleased smile on the blonde's face.

"And if food and music are our standards, then this would already be date number two," continued the blonde.

"Oh?" The Mayor mused. "Where was I during date number one?"

"Sitting behind your desk trying not to devour a really good panini in four bites with Bon Jovi in the background," the Sheriff answered as she drained the pasta.

Regina chuckled at the memory. "That was not a date."

Emma scooped up the cooked pasta into her now thickened sauce adding steamed broccoli into the mix as she began to toss it. She quickly leaned over the edge of the counter to play with her iPod and within seconds, the slow methodical piano of Greensleeves filled the atmosphere.

"This one most certainly is," Emma said as she plated the fettuccine into a serving bowl.

The Mayor watched as Emma made quick work of setting the table, even lighting a candle in the middle before bringing the dish to the center. She grabbed her wine glass and the bottle, motioning with her head to the table. "Ready?"

Regina stared at Emma momentarily, seeing the vulnerability in green eyes. It was as if the blonde was still in shock mode that she had actually accepted the invitation. Sliding off the stool, Regina followed Emma to the table.

* * *

 

"I see my lessons have paid off," Regina complimented in her own way halfway through dinner.

"Don't be surprised," Emma quirked her lips amused. "If I failed that means you're a bad teacher."

"On the contrary, your cooking would have nothing to do with my teaching skills. You'd just be inadequate," the brunette reasoned.

"Thank you for the compliment," Emma toasted her glass

The first half of the meal had been filled with mundane topics, neither women quite ready yet to acknowledge how tonight transpired. A part of Emma hoped that Regina would never, ever bring it up again, and they could start brand new. But when did Regina ever do what Emma wanted?

"What made you contact me?" The brunette asked catching Emma's eyes.

The Sheriff gave a non-commital shrug. "I've wanted to for a while."

"But why there?"

"No offense, Regina, but you're not exactly the easiest person to approach," Emma answered honestly. "Especially with me."

"So your idea was much better?"

"I didn't know you rode horses. I didn't know Henry gave you the chicken pox when he was six. I didn't know you were married before," Emma listed off. "But I do know that if I went up to you to find out any of that, you wouldn't have told me."

Regina was on the verge of denying her claim, but even she couldn't deny the fact that she didn't let anyone in, anyone who could use what they know about her to their advantage.

"It was sneaky," the blonde continued, "but I don't regret getting to know you."

Regina could hear the sincerity in Emma's words as she continued to study the blonde for any hint of a lie or a game or something that wasn't genuine. She couldn't find any.

Instead, she offered up rare but genuine smile. "So how on earth did you get your head stuck in a banister?"

* * *

 

"Did you plan this?" Regina asked as Emma walked her up the pathway to the mansion.

"Did I plan Leroy getting drunk, Ruby being the only one scheduled to work leaving me to deal with him and having the restaurant give our table away?" Emma mused.

Regina smirked, giving a sideways glanced at the woman beside her.

"It was nice," the brunette admitted.

"Yeah?" Emma grinned relieved.

"Yes."

That was definitely Emma's new favourite word. The grin remained on her face as they reached the front door.

Emma's heart thudded in her chest as Regina fiddled with her keys. If her date dictionary was correct, fiddling with keys was the universal sign that the woman was expecting something. Emma gulped wondering if it was too soon, if she was being too forward or if-

The sound of Regina's door opening interrupted her thoughts. Emma mentally scolded herself. Way to take forever, Swan. But her scolding was instantly forgotten as Regina took the small step to close the distance between them, her lips finding Emma's as they moved over hers once, twice.

Emma opened the eyes that had fluttered shut to see a grinning Regina looking back at her.

"That I've wanted to do since the mine incident," Regina said making her way into her home and shutting the door.

Emma stared at the door for another minute, a large goofy grin appearing on her face as she walked back confidently to her cruiser. She slid in and exhaled happily, watching the lights turn on and off inside the mansion before starting the car.

"What are you grinning about? You didn't get laid," Leroy grumbled still lying down in the back.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your comments and kudos. You guys are awesome! This chapter is a very high T and stands just on the boundary of M.

Emma was all smiles by the time she had returned home from depositing a grumpy Leroy back to his apartment. The evidence of her evening with Regina was still there in the form of unwashed pots and pans.

_She kissed me._ Emma thought as she lingered in the kitchen, replaying the last three hours in vivid detail. _Regina freaking Mills, Ice Queen, Madame Mayor, kissed me._

Elated, Emma kicked off her heels, deciding dishes could wait to be washed for tomorrow and went up the stairs to drop down in her bed.

She did it. She got Regina to go out with her without it ending in a fight. And she'd kissed her. Oh, that would be one of her finer memories.

She glanced at the clock to see it was past ten. She put a finger to her chin in thought and sat up, reaching for her clutch to retrieve her phone. She wasn't obsessive. She just wanted to say good night is all.

_Hey._

Less than a minute later, her phone lit up, a message from Regina. She grinned.

**You're stalking again, Ms. Swan.**

_More like you have Stockholm._

**You still need to work on those jokes.**

_It was nice tonight. I liked it._

**It could have been worse.**

_Would it kill you to admit to happiness and joy every once in a while?_

**Do you really want to risk it? You might not get a second date out of it.**

_So there's talks of a second date. Do tell._

**Making me do all the work now?**

_Did you spend the last month hiding notes all over the place? I had to do laundry for a week to get Mary Margaret to agree._

**Poor gender confused Emma.**

_I'm never gonna live that down am I?_

**Not if you want that second date.**

_You've mentioned it twice. It seems you're the eager one, Madame Mayor._

**Maybe I want to see if you'll finally pluck the courage to make the first move.**

_I was getting there._

**Please, I was halfway into my night gown by the time I stepped in and finished it. As always.**

_Would you care to describe the night gown?_

**It's too bad. Maybe if you had kissed me you'd have been able to see it.**

**Good night, Sheriff.**

Emma's jaw dropped. How? How did this woman get into her head in an instant? She just stared at her text message and mentally scolded herself. She should have kissed her.

* * *

 

"So I take it the date went well?" Kathryn nudged her friend the next morning after returning Henry, who had fallen asleep at her house the night before.

"How was it?" Henry looked up at her with curious eyes. "Is Emma still here?"

Kathryn's eyes flashed to Regina at Henry's inadvertent implication. The brunette, for the most part, blushed and ushered her son into the kitchen for breakfast. "No, Henry. Emma is at her apartment with Mary Margaret."

He looked disappointed but sat at the breakfast table all the same. "What did you do?"

Regina refrained from rolling her eyes at her inquisitive son. Instead, she plated some waffles and fruit and served him breakfast. "Eat. Did you thank Mrs. Nolan for allowing you to spend the night?"

He nodded, taking a large bite of waffle and syrup. For a moment Regina just stared at him. There was no accusation in his eyes, no fear or disdain. Just hope. On a whim she stroked back a few of his wayward hairs, and like any pre-teen boy, he groaned and pulled away with a whine.

She smirked happily, glad that he hadn't tensed before walking to lean against the fridge where Kathryn was waiting.

"So?" Her friend pressed for details in a hushed eager tone.

Regina floundered, not accustomed to 'girl talk'.

"Where did you go?" The blonde aided. "Oh! Did you go to La Nuit Blanche? Reservations are impossible to get there."

The Mayor furrowed her brow, recounting the events of the night past with the hint of a grin on her face. "We talked over dinner at her place. She cooked."

"You let her cook for you?" Kathryn asked surprised.

Regina just shrugged it off.

"So," her friend beamed, "when's the next date?"

Regina chuckled to herself, shifting from foot to foot as she recalled their after-date texting. "I imagine very soon."

* * *

 

Regina tapped her pen on her desk, watching the clock tick away. She checked her phone, her emails and even debated installing Instant Messenger on her work laptop just to see if Emma was online.

They had been dating over a week now, having been on three dates, and almost daily the blonde would message Regina asking about her day or to fill her in with an anecdote.

It was almost noon, and there had been no word from Emma. Regina scowled Dependence on people always caused problems.

Despite what her brain decided, her body reached automatically to the vibrating cell phone perched on her desk.

_What are you doing?_

**Working, Ms. Swan.**

_So you're free?_

**You would be confused by the term 'working'. For you it involves bear claws, cocoa, and waste paper basketball.**

_Close, darts._

**You are aware I'm your boss, right?**

_Ooh, pulling out that fantasy again, are we?_

**Go back to work, Ms. Swan. I'm busy.**

_I very much doubt that. Open up._

**Excuse me?**

Regina looked up when she heard a knock on her office door. Her mouth parted in disbelief before she stood and sauntered over to open it for her.

Emma stood leaning against the door jamb with a cocky grin and a bag of take out.

Regina's phone, still firmly clutched in her hand, vibrated, and she looked down at the message: _Surprise._

"You think you're cute, don't you?" Regina did her best to look cross and fold her arms over her chest.

"I brought lunch." She held up the bag like a peace offering before walking past the brunette to the desk and began pulling out its contents.

"I told you I was working."

"Yes, the enormous mountain of files has your immediate attention." Emma motioned to Regina's fairly scarce desk.

Regina shook her head lightly before shutting the door and sitting in the vacant visitor's chair beside the blonde.

Emma grinned at her seat of choice but said nothing as she placed the panini in front of the older woman followed by a salad for herself.

"Did Hell freeze over?" Regina smirked motioning to the greens.

Emma chuckled. "Maybe I want to live past 40." She popped the container of her side before pulling out her double cheeseburger.

Regina laughed once. "Keep trying, dear."

The brunette took a bite of her sandwich and spoke around it. "You're still withholding information from me."

"That's impossible. I wrote 147 notes," the blonde said stabbing a crouton.

"You counted?"

"Don't act like you didn't."

Regina ignored her and continued. "What's your biggest regret?"

Emma halted momentarily. "What's your favourite position?"

"I'm not trying to recreate that exchange," Regina said aggravated.

"But it was so much fun," Emma pointed out.

Regina lowered her voice an octave and leaned in. "You just like hearing me say it."

Emma stared at her for a moment, happily becoming seduced. Shaking it off quickly, she gave up on her salad and moved to her burger. "There's other things I wouldn't mind coming out of your mouth."

Regina snorted before sipping her coffee. "You evaded the question."

"It's not a state secret," Emma promised, "but I do believe if I keep it it'll keep you highly interested in me."

"I'll be bored of you by the end of the month," Regina shrugged casually.

"You're too addicted," Emma dismissed and took a large bite of beef, cheese and bacon. "What about you? Biggest regret?"

"That's a story for another time," the brunette mocked Emma's earlier words.

"Come on," Emma coaxed. "I want to hear a Regina Mills story from Regina Mills."

"There's nothing to tell," the Mayor said uncomfortably.

"What about this secret relationship?" Emma asked. "Anyone I know?"

Regina's eyes darkened imperceptibly so before she turned in her seat to fully face the blonde, leaning over to put a warm hand on her thigh.

"Was lunch all you wanted, Sheriff?" Her tone dropped low.

Emma was all too aware of the hand on her thigh. Sure, she'd imagine Regina in multiple scandalous positions way before they began dating, but to have the brunette actually come on to her was way better than all those fantasies combined.

"Do you have something else planned?" Emma asked hopefully.

Regina leaned in, her face mere inches from Emma's.

The blonde's eyes fluttered shut, her nails digging into the underside of the arm rests.

"Madam Mayor?" Regina's intercom beeped.

Emma's eyes snapped open to look at a smug, not-even-sorry Regina.

"Perhaps next time," she grinned before pulling back and answering the page.

"Unfair," Emma pouted and stood.

"On the contrary. I got a free lunch. Thank you, Sheriff." Despite her sardonic tone, Emma could hear the sincerity in it.  
The blonde took deep breaths then began cleaning up their lunch. Already Regina was in work-mode, so Emma was quick to pack the containers away.

She made a motion with her head that she'd be leaving and made it all the way to the door before she paused. She turned and strode purposefully towards the Mayor who looked up confused.

Emma used a finger to tilt Regina's chin up and placed a sweet kiss on her lips, leaving the brunette breathless. "I forgot I was allowed to do that."

Regina hummed content against her lips before she felt Emma pull back and grin, leaving the office this time.

* * *

 

"Glad to see you're still alive," Mary Margaret joked after calling the blonde's name several times, watching as Emma came down from her room.

The blonde didn't even look up as she typed on her phone.

"We haven't had dinner together in over a week," The brunette commented.

Emma sat at the kitchen island, finally attentive with a mischievous grin on her face. "Sorry, what?"

The school teacher narrowed her eyes. "Do you ever stop texting Regina?"

"Yeah," Emma defended, looking down at her phone to read a new message.

"Sleeping doesn't count." Mary Margaret sighed, already seeing it was a lost battle and continued making dinner.

Emma nodded along and made appropriate comments at the right time when her roommate began talking about her day, but her mind was focused on the conversation she was having with the Mayor.

It was no secret that the two ladies were infamous for their euphemisms and endless supply of innuendo, and even on several occasions did they enjoy a heated make out session like two horny teenagers, but the tone of tonight's topic had taken an interesting turn. Emma was inwardly excited and more than a little aroused as she responded.

_It's easy, it's like telling a fantasy in deliciously vivid detail._

**How is that even appealing?**

_It's appealing if you shut your eyes, hear my voice, feel my fingers trail up your legs, lightly touching your thighs._

**Mmmm, I'm not sure that's enough.**

_Then I'll push down on my bed. It creaks, so we have to be quiet to not wake anyone, and my lips press right against your throat. When you moan, it vibrates and I lick up and down your neck to sooth the tension._

**Getting better.**

_While you're distracted there, my hand still on your bare thigh moves higher and higher, closer to your silk panties. I don't need to touch them to know they're wet._

**Touch.**

_I will. I promise. But I use my free hand to tug up your night gown, my lips leaving a mark at the hollow of your throat, your hands weaving into my hair to tug me closer. I'm so close I nip your neck making you moan._

_My hand moves up your stomach and I feel how hard your nipples are. I groan moving my mouth down to taste it, lick it, tease it. Does that feel good?_

**So good. Lower.**

_I chuckle against your breast, feeling you pant, feeling your heart beat so fast. You're desperate, but I take my time. My hand still toying with the elastic of your panties. A few fingers slip past but never long enough._

**Emma.**

_I move off of you. You whimper and try to tug me back, but I move between your spread legs, hovering over your heat, placing a kiss directly above your panty line. You thrust up to meet me, and you can feel me grin against your stomach._

**Stop teasing.**

_I lift up your hips and make quick work of pulling down your wet panties, kissing your legs on my way down. I stare at you, open and glistening for a long moment. You're finally bare before me, and I can't wait._

"Emma!" Mary Margaret yelled, and with a bold move on her part, grabbed Emma's phone from the blonde's grasp.

"No!" Emma's eyes widened and she reached over the island in her desperate attempt to retrieve it and continue her so very important conversation.

The school teacher just shook her head and placed the phone in their junk drawer. "Regina can wait. I don't want you texting all through dinner."

"Mary Margaret, I really need my phone back," the blonde pleaded and tried to move the surprisingly sturdy woman who blocked the drawer.

"You can have it after dinner." The brunette spoke firmly.

Emma chewed her lip, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glazed. Quickly, Emma grabbed two plates and piled on a little bit of everything and handed one to her roommate.

Without waiting or sitting, Emma began scarfing down her meal, much to the dismay of the smaller woman.

* * *

 

Fifteen minutes later, Emma was on her fire escape with a very angry Regina on the phone.

"What the hell was that?" She screeched.  
"I didn't mean to stop!" Emma defended. "Mary Margaret stole my phone 'cause she thinks I'm texting too much."

"Tell your ' _mother'_ that she can-"

"Regina."

Emma heard the brunette take two deep steadying breaths before calming down.

"So," Emma drawled, letting the word extend, "do you want to keep going?"

The Mayor laughed. "Feeling the burn, are we, Sheriff?"

"You have no idea," Emma grinned, moving into her bedroom and preparing herself on her bed.

"Good."

All that was left was the dial tone.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I know this update took a lot longer than most, and for that I am sorry. You guys, however, remain amazing despite everything! Everyone who is reading, alerting and reviewing are all aces in my book, and despite almost being the end of my Sunday, I wanted to get this up in place of the lack of episode this week.

Ruby set Mary Margaret's usual sandwich and tea in front of her, leaning over the counter as she tilted her head to smirk at the far booth where the Sheriff and Mayor sat bickering in front of their shared son, who only rolled his eyes and dug his nose deeper into his book. 

 

"I'm surprised they lasted this long," the waitress commented, making a motion with her head to the couple. 

 

The school teacher turned and chuckled. "I'm not."

 

"Really? They've been dating for over a month now. I gave it two weeks, tops."

 

"You don't live with Emma," Mary Margaret said into her tea. "Even before they began dating Regina was always under her skin."

 

Ruby smirked causing the petite woman to blush. 

 

"Not like that!"

 

"What do you think they talk about?" Ruby asked curious. 

 

Mary Margaret reddened, directing her attention to her sandwich. 

 

"What do you know?" The younger woman prodded Mary Margaret's arm. 

 

"Nothing," she dismissed quickly. 

 

Eager now, Ruby leaned over the counter further, squeezing her friend's arm in anticipation. "Do they send each other pictures?"

 

"No!" Mary Margaret looked absolutely appalled. 

 

The waitress studied the couple with an amused expression, their bickering turning into a glaring contest. "You know what's funny?"

 

"That you're spying on them?"

 

"They don't act any differently," Ruby observed. "Look at them, they're still fighting and, oh no they moved into mentally undressing each other."

 

Mary Margaret blushed. "I'd say they changed."

 

"What do you know?" Ruby asked again, even more intrigued.

 

She took a bite of her sandwich and washed it down with some tea. "Regina came by my classroom the other day," she mentioned.

 

"And?"

 

The school teacher scrunched up her face in thought, still trying to process the memory. "She said if I ever take Emma's phone from her again she'll destroy me."

 

Ruby laughed out loud, her mouth parted in amazement. "She didn't."

 

Mary Margaret nodded into her tea, her face flustered. 

 

Ruby straightened, eyeing the couple now that they had reduced their bickering and staring to appropriate level talking. She smirked to herself and abruptly turned to grab a pot of coffee, making her way around the counter.

 

"Ruby," Mary Margaret cautioned. "What are you doing?"

 

"Gonna find out," the waitress grinned with a waggle of her eyebrows as she made her way to the booth. 

 

"Ruby!" Mary Margaret turned on her stool and hissed. She quickly turned away and avoided eye contact when Emma looked up.

 

"More coffee, Madame Mayor?" Ruby asked pouring the hot liquid into her mug before Regina had the chance to confirm. She did the same for Emma and turned, knocking down the blonde's nearly empty basket of fries. "Shoot, I'm so clumsy."

 

The waitress set the pot down and moved to collect the basket and trash. She ignored Regina's scowl, clearly deeming Ruby as incompetent. 

 

"It's okay, I was done," Emma said leaning over to help. 

 

Ruby straightened before the blonde could do anything, grabbing the pot and giving her best smile before sauntering away. 

 

No one noticed Emma's missing phone from the table.

 

* * *

 

Motioning for Mary Margaret to follow, Ruby directed them to the far end of the counter, far from Regina and Emma. Her stolen item was cleverly hidden in her apron.

 

"What?" The school teacher questioned. 

 

Ruby grinned and held up a finger. She waved when Regina, Emma and Henry had gotten up from their booth and made their way to the exit. When she was sure they had turned the corner, Ruby whipped out Emma's phone. 

 

Mary Margaret gasped. "You didn't."

 

"Relax," Ruby dismissed unlocking Emma's password. Why the Sheriff thought 1234 was a good lock she'd never know. "Aren't you the least bit curious? She's been talking to Regina, for god's sake."

 

The petite woman chewed her lip. "You're the one who did it," she mused to herself. 

 

Ruby leaned closer to Mary Margaret, putting the cell phone between them so they could both see. She tapped on Emma's messages eagerly. 

 

_I know you're gonna be stuck in meetings all day so look in your bottom right drawer._

 

**What am I going to need a sketch book for?**

 

_Take up art again. Those meetings are boring._

**Are you telling me to completely ignore my work to doodle in meetings?**

 

_You're ignoring your work now ;)_

 

Ruby pouted. "I thought it would be better."

 

She continued to scroll through earlier messages, her eyes widened while Mary Margaret gasped and held a hand to her chest in more embarrassment than disbelief. 

 

_Are you seriously gonna tease me like that during a meeting and leave me hanging?_

 

**It was hardly a tease.**

 

_You said you weren't wearing underwear._

 

**Care to find out?**

 

_I'll be there in five._

 

"No way," Ruby beamed at the device, thoroughly enjoying herself. 

 

"We should stop," Mary Margaret suggested, leaning back and looking green. 

 

Ruby, however, was already scrolling through more of their messages, grinning lecherously when she got to the good stuff. She turned the device to Mary Margaret who instinctively read the text, her eyes wide. 

 

I use my hands to grab your hips, tugging them closer to my face where I nip at your thigh. 

 

My hand weaves through your hair, pulling hard and directing your face to my- 

 

Mary Margaret forcibly ripped her attention away, gulping down half her tea in one go. 

 

Ruby pulled the phone back to her, indifferent to her friend's reactions. "Maybe that's why Regina threatened you. I wonder if they have pictures."

 

The bell of the diner's entrance dinged, and Ruby put her hands behind her back, hiding the Sheriff's phone as the blonde herself walked in with a huff and went to the booth she had vacated earlier. 

 

They watched as Emma looked over the seats and under the table before turning. Ruby immediately began engaging Mary Margaret in conversation to look innocent, but the short haired woman for the most part looked like a deer caught in the headlights. 

 

"Hey Ruby, Mary Margaret," Emma said when she made her way over to the counter. 

 

Mary Margaret avoided eye contact while Ruby looked pleasantly surprised. "Oh, Emma didn't see you there. You left your phone."

 

She held it up mentally smirking at Emma's sigh of relief. 

 

"Thanks, Rubes, you're a life saver." She took it with an appreciative grin before exiting the diner again. 

 

Ruby watched the blue leather jacket of Emma Swan retreat into the distance before speaking again. "Bet you breakfast for a month they'll be married by the end of the year."

 

Mary Margaret raised an amused eyebrow before shaking her head with a chuckle. "Six months."

 

"You're on."

 

* * *

 

"Where are we going?" Regina sat agitated in, begrudgingly, Emma's bug. Her son was in the back seat, and a blindfold was wrapped around her eyes. 

 

"It's a surprise, Mom." Regina didn't need to see him to know there was a smile in his voice, but the uncertainty and anxiety she felt from being blindfolded didn't ease until she felt a familiar warm palm on her thigh. Instinctively she placed her hand over it, keeping it there. She also didn't need to see Emma's face to know that the blonde was grinning at her. 

 

"Eyes on the road," Regina said sternly yet playfully.

 

She was pleased with herself when she felt Emma squeeze her leg in reassurance and settled into the seat. 

 

* * *

 

The smell of hay, wood chips and the lingering presence of sweat filled Regina’s nostrils. She froze in her seat and turned a blindfolded eye to Emma. "Are we-?"

 

Her answer came in the form of the engine shutting off and two creaky doors opening and shutting, her own door being opened for her. 

 

Gently, the blindfold was removed, and Regina inhaled sharply when she saw the sign signalling they were at Storybrooke Ranch. 

 

She whipped her head to Emma who only grinned smug. The blonde tugged her and motioned them inside the stables where they were led to a few horses set aside for the Sheriff. 

 

"What is this?" Regina asked nervously, her hand coming to the nape of a stallion's neck. 

 

"Henry said you never took him to the stables." Emma eyed the creatures herself, not realizing how big they actually were in real life. 

 

"Yeah, why not?" Henry piped up, eager to get on the horse. 

 

Regina didn’t answer and only looked lost in thought, her eye catching the pitch black ones of her horse. 

 

* * *

 

Regina was quiet, Emma noticed as an instructor directed them on how to hitch a saddle and the proper way to hold the reins. The brunette didn't even say anything when Emma yelled unexpectedly when her horse had nudged its head against her face. Henry was in stitches, but Regina just stood with her arms folded across her chest, lingering by her own steed. 

 

By the time they were allowed to trot on the plain, Henry riding like a natural, Regina sitting expertly, and Emma shifting awkwardly and clearly causing the creature under her discomfort. With a great amount of effort, she managed to sidle next to Regina, both of them watching Henry ahead as he picked up speed. 

 

"You okay?" Emma asked cautiously.

 

"Mmhmm." The wall Regina put up was built so fast, Emma didn't have time to register it. 

 

"I thought-" Emma gasped sharply at an unexpected trot her horse took. "I thought you'd have fun doing this."

 

"Don't you just know me so well?" If Emma had been walking she would have stopped to gape at the brunette's response. 

 

"Seriously, what's the matter with you?"

 

Regina scowled, and Emma could tell the older woman's patience was wearing thin. 

 

"Okay," Emma cautioned, letting an awkward silence fill the air. 

 

A full five minutes of silence later, Emma tried again. "So did you do this a lot as a kid?"

 

"You're quite chatty today, Sheriff," Regina said staring straight ahead. 

 

"I'm striking conversation, is that such a bad thing?"

 

"You have no business to it," Regina snapped and whipped her head in Emma's direction, pulling the reins in the process and making her horse stumble onto Emma's path. 

 

"What? I told you about mine," the blonde defended. 

 

Regina spoke dangerously. "I didn't ask you to, Ms. Swan."

 

Regina kicked the horse's side and spurred him on faster leaving a confused and struggling Emma in the dust. 

 

* * *

 

"What was that?" Emma tugged Regina aside when they returned from their ride. Luckily for them, the instructor was allowing Henry to feed the horses in their stalls.

 

"What, dear?" Regina gave her politician's smile. 

 

"Back there, I have no business asking about you?"

 

Regina took a predatory step towards Emma, placing a warm palm in the middle of her chest and pressing their bodies close, her lips hovering over the Sheriff's ear. "Perhaps you can learn more about me when we get home."

 

It took most of Emma's strength to extract herself from Regina's grasp. "Not now, Regina."

 

The brunette took a surprised step back. Her voice was low and dangerous. "What?"

 

"Why do you do that?" Emma questioned. "I ask you something and you just take me to bed."

 

"Is that not what you wanted when you first contacted me?" Regina asked, folding her arms across her chest. 

 

"I don't just want you for your body, Regina." Emma took a step closer, trying to put a hand on the older woman's arm before it was shrugged away. 

 

"You have no idea why I stopped riding, and as nice as you think this is, all it's done is brought back unwanted memories," Regina scolded. 

 

"How am I supposed to know that? Every time I asked you something about yourself you'd change the subject." 

 

"Because it's private," Regina growled.

 

"We've been seeing each other for a month, Regina!" Emma yelled in a hushed whisper. "We've been talking much longer than that."

 

"So that just gives you the right to know everything about me whenever you want?" 

 

“No, but I think I have the right to know more about you,” the blonde argued. 

 

“You know enough, Ms. Swan.”

 

Emma threw her hands up in the air frustrated. “I know a lot, but I told you about my foster care days. You freeze up whenever I mention anything before you got Henry.”

 

“Because I do not want you to know anything about me before I had Henry,” she enunciated her statement with a chopping motion of her hand. 

 

“I’m not gonna judge you, Regina.”

 

The brunette merely scoffed. 

 

"So you'll spill your soul to a complete stranger over the internet and not to the woman you've been sleeping with for a month?" Emma accused. 

 

Regina paused and glared at the blonde. "Well if that's all we are, do you wonder why I don't care to share any personal facts about me?"

 

Emma's face fell. "I didn't mean it like that."

 

The brunette just shook her head and pushed past the Sheriff, who kicked at the hay on the ground angrily. 

 

* * *

 

The ride back was silent between the two women, save for Henry going on and on about his own ride and how he dubbed his horse Majestic. 

 

By the time Emma pulled up to the mayoral mansion, the strain between the ladies was clear when Regina just nodded her head and stepped out of the car, waiting for Henry to do the same at the bottom of her pathway. Henry wasn't stupid. He knew something was wrong between his two mothers, but bringing it up now was useless when all Regina did was turn on her heel and head to her doorway. 

 

* * *

 

Emma was agitated by the time evening rolled in. She had texted Regina as soon as she arrived back in her apartment and even called the brunette numerous times to no avail. 

 

That had been hours ago. 

 

Now she stood pacing her kitchen with her phone on its loudest setting resting in the middle of the kitchen island. 

 

The door to her apartment swung open, and for a brief crazy moment, Emma hoped it would be Regina walking through. Not that the brunette had a key or anything. 

 

"Hey," Mary Margaret greeted then furrowed her brow at Emma's dejected face. "What's wrong?"

 

The blonde shrugged hopelessly. "I think me and Regina are fighting."

 

"You think?" Mary Margaret asked hanging her coat on the rack. "You guys are usually pretty good at knowing."

 

"I don't know, I took her and Henry to the stables, and she looked happy at first, and then she got cold," Emma explained.

 

"She is the Mayor," the brunette reasoned. 

 

Emma pursed her lips with a defensive glare causing the teacher to apologize promptly. 

 

Emma threw her hands up in the air frustrated. "You know we've been together for over a month now, and I haven't learned anything new about her?"

 

Mary Margaret scrunched up her face, leaning against the counter to face the blonde. "Why not?"

 

"Whenever I ask she distracts me with-"

 

The school teacher raised an eyebrow. 

 

"-stuff." Emma finished lamely. 

 

"It's Regina, Emma. She's a private person," she reminded her roommate. 

 

"But it's me." Emma leaned over the island dropping her head on the counter.

 

Mary Margaret chuckled. "That's funny. That's why you said she'd never date you in the first place. Now look at you two."

 

The blonde lifted her head up in thought. "Do you think I pushed her too much?"

 

"Why are you asking me?” The brunette questioned. “You should know that better than anyone."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there wasn't as much fluff, but it is Regina and Emma we're talking about. To make up for this late update, I promise the new chapter in two days' time.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I know you guys were upset I skipped over their first time, but I did that for a reason. I wouldn't leave out SQ sexytimes after all that build up. That being said, I'm purposely leaving out their first time. But that being said, the rating has changed to M. Hopefully if you're not still mad at me, this will make up for it. I was going to post this tomorrow, but this: ( .com(post(forwardslash)41718114185(forwardslash)incoming(dash)messages) made my week. Extra special shout out to marynesq for drawing a fantastic set! You guys are still awesome for sticking through the story for this long, and I totally appreciate it! I want to shake each and every one of your hands in appreciation.

Emma waited outside the mayoral mansion early Monday morning. She put on a smile when Henry stepped out in his school uniform and made his way down the street to the bus stop. Ten minutes later, Emma pushed off of the beetle's passenger door when Regina stepped out of the house and paused upon seeing the blonde.

She walked slowly up the pathway, her hands stuffed deep in her pockets meeting Regina halfway.

"Ms. Swan," Regina sighed.

"I'm not just fooling around. I'm sorry it came out that way, but it's not just a benefits thing," Emma said quickly.

Regina said nothing and just stared at the blonde.

"I get it, we all have secrets, and I already knew you were private," Emma spoke. "I just thought, you know, we had gotten to know each other over emails, and why not now?"

She sighed and caught the Mayor's eye when Regina remained quiet. "You know what my biggest regret is? Giving up Henry." She kept talking when Regina opened her mouth. "But if I didn't, you wouldn't have had him, he wouldn't have found me, I wouldn't have met you."

"Ms. Swan, your over the top admission isn't enough to change the fact that you want too much from me," Regina said firmly.

"I put myself out there," Emma matched her tone. "I left secrets about me lying around town for you. Things no one has ever heard."

"Who told you to do that?" Regina asked defensively.

"I just want a real relationship with you, Regina, is that too much to ask?" The plead in her voice hung in the air.

"Yes." She spoke with such fierceness it took Emma aback.

"I don't have anything else," Emma sighed dejectedly with a shake of her head. "That's all I've got left. You already know everything about me. I'm not gonna push."

She looked down, missing the faltering look on the brunette's face, and turned back towards the car.

* * *

 

Did Emma just break up with her? Regina questioned as she got into her car. She had watched the Sheriff drive away and remained rooted in the spot with her lips parted. She'd admit that the blonde did a hell of a job on their dates, rarely showed any public displays of affection, and was good at remembering everything she had told her in emails.

But Regina just had such a hard time opening herself up when she wasn't hidden behind her computer screen.

She pulled out of her driveway still deep in thought. She knew Emma meant well with the stables, but the smell of the barn alone was enough to send a wave of memories of Daniel and a stolen life coursing through her head. It confused her how easy it was, to literally get back on the horse beside someone who wasn't Daniel, to be a family.

It scared her, so she closed off.

She gasped when she missed a stop sign, almost driving right into a pickup truck. It'll be fine, Regina promised herself as she inched the Benz cautiously through the intersection. Emma will come around and it'll be fine. They'll just pretend like it didn't happen and move on.

* * *

 

But Emma didn't come by, Regina realized as the end of her work day came to a close. Emma didn't call, didn't email, didn't text.

Emma couldn't have possibly given up this easily. It was one fight.

The vibration of her phone had her sighing with relief as she answered it quickly. "You've come to your senses, Sheriff?"

"Oh, it's me. Kathryn," the woman on the other line spoke.

Regina's lips parted and she pulled the phone away to look at the caller ID she'd missed before. "I was expecting-"

"Emma. I picked up on that. Everything okay?"

"Just fine." Even Regina couldn't deny the hitch in her voice.

* * *

 

Regina remained quiet all through the rest of the day, her phone constantly in her grasp, ready to take the blonde back. Kathryn had questioned her about what was upsetting her, but Regina simply brushed it off, confirmed their grocery date and waited for the phone to ring.

"Hey Mom," Henry questioned cautiously that night at dinner. "Are you and Emma okay?"

"What makes you say that, dear?" Regina asked hollowly.

"You usually have your phone hidden in your lap," the boy said with a smirk.

Regina furrowed her brow. When did Emma become such a big part of her life? She shook it off and put on a smile. "Just fine, dear."

"You look sad."

"I'm not," Regina said firmly, indicating she wanted no more questions.

"Emma looked sad this morning," Henry commented, poking his vegetables around with his fork. He didn't need to look up to know his mother looked up at his statement, conflict burning behind her eyes.

* * *

 

" _Miracle's_ back on repeat and another toaster's broken," Mary Margaret observed when she found her roommate sitting at the dining table, a giant bowl of cereal in front of her.

"It's a good song," she pointed with her spoon, not bothering to give an explanation for the toaster.

Mary Margaret gave her a disapproving look before grabbing herself a bowl and pouring herself some cereal.

"Am I being unrealistic?" Emma pressed. "Is this my fault?"

"No," her roommate answered gently.

"You have to say that," Emma brushed off and scooped up a spoonful of Corn Pops.

"Do you like her?" The brunette questioned.

"Most days," she grumbled her answer.

"You went to a great depth to get to know the most private person in this town and it worked," Mary Margaret reminded her. "It's not your fault for wanting to know more now that you're together."

"Why does it feel like it is?" Emma slumped.

"You miss her," the school teacher answered obviously. She scrunched up her face. "Oh god, you might even love her."

Emma snorted. "I may have liked her for a long time, but I don't know about love."

"You want to grovel to her when you did nothing wrong," Mary Margaret laughed.

"I'm not gonna grovel," Emma groaned.

"If I look at your phone right now, will I find saved drafts to Regina apologizing?" Emma remained quiet. "I thought so."

"What, I'm just supposed to wait?" The blonde grumbled.

"Does she feel the same way about you?" Asked the school teacher.

"I thought she did," Emma said leaning her head on her hand.

"Not what you think. Does she or doesn't she?"

Hesitantly the blonde nodded.

"Then wait."

* * *

 

Regina was agitated. It had been four days since Emma had walked away from her, over four days since their day at the stables, four days since Regina all but denied a relationship with the blonde.

It had also been four days of silence.

Emma didn't try contacting the brunette, and Regina being Regina, didn't try either. There had been times when her thumb scrolled over Emma's name in her contact list, and she was sorely tempted to make up a fake tax form for the Sheriff's department to fill out, but she was Regina Mills. She never groveled. She never begged. Her pride wouldn't allow it, but her heart was screaming out for it.

With a heavy sigh, she pulled open the door to Granny's diner with more force than necessary and marched up to the counter.

"Good afternoon, Mayor Mills," Ruby beamed. "I'll bring out your usual."

Regina nodded her thanks and took a seat at the counter. Out of habit Regina played with her phone, her fingers reflexively hitting the Messages icon then moving swiftly to the Emails one.

Nothing.

She was almost mad that Emma was reacting the way she was. What was she even asking for? A little honesty, Regina snorted to herself. The irony.

She glanced up confused when Ruby set down two bags and a cup tray with a soda along with her coffee.

"What is this, Miss Lucas?"

"It's Friday, right? You and Emma have lunch together on Fridays," the waitress answered confused at Regina's reaction.

Ruby shook it off, however, and leaned over the counter, clearly looking for a break from the lunch rush that just settled down. "That's really cute, you two have lunch dates every week. Is Emma busy though? She's usually the one to pick up your order."

Instead of answering, Regina had wrinkled her brain to process Ruby's words. They did have lunch together every Friday. She couldn't help the smirk from forming when she remembered Emma's reasoning the second week.

_"Just because we're seeing each other after hours doesn't mean you need to bring me lunch every week."_

_"I'm just trying to recreate our first date," Emma said with a wink._

And she had. For nearly five weeks, Emma had been doing little things for them, arranging special outings, little notes and being a couple. Oh god, when had they become a couple? It was much too easy to slip into such a role. But wasn't that the point? For all those sappy happily ever after stories to be so because being together felt right no matter what? All Regina had to do was sit back and enjoy the ride.

And she had. Until she got scared. Until it was her turn to take over.

"Mayor Mills?" Ruby asked slowly.

Regina shook her head and regained her composure immediately, speaking as if she had not just zoned out in front of the waitress. "Yes, Emma's still behind on some work."

Ruby smirked. "Making her work for it huh?"

Regina paused on her way to stand. It was a simple phrase, really. It was a joke meant to be taken lightly. To Regina, however, it was the absolute truth.

"Yes," she said quietly with a twinge of guilt.

Without a goodbye that would be appropriate protocol for a public figure, Regina took the bags and exited the diner, steeling her jaw and setting her goal in sight.

* * *

 

Mary Margaret eagerly entered her apartment that Friday evening, and was glad to see her roommate in a better mood. She had something for her, and although how she got in possession of that something was nothing short of terrifying, she had it nonetheless.

"You're cooking," the brunette sounded almost surprised.

"I learned," Emma immediately defended. "I wanted to be nice and make you dinner since you brought me lunch."

Mary Margaret halted her movements of hanging her coat. "Lunch?"

"Yeah," Emma called over her shoulder from the stove. "You brought me Granny's during my patrol?"

"Right, right," the school teacher quickly confirmed. She hadn't left her school all day, let alone her desk for lunch. She did remember seeing a white Granny's take out bag earlier today, and she grinned wider.

She excused herself to wash up for dinner, getting the surprise ready for Emma.

Emma chomped down on a large bite of chicken. "Why are you being weird?"

"What? I'm not being weird," Mary Margaret quickly denied. "I'm being normal. How am I being weird?"

"You're watching me eat like a hawk," Emma pointed out Mary Margaret's empty plate that she had cleaned off ten minutes into the meal. It was the strangest, most fascinating thing Emma had ever seen, watching the tiny woman rush through the chicken and potatoes.

"Just hungry. It was really good." To emphasize her point, the brunette rubbed her stomach.

Emma raised an eyebrow to refrain from laughing. "Okay. . ."

Before Emma could take another bite, her plate was removed from her when Mary Margaret stood and grabbed both of their dishes. "You should have it for lunch tomorrow."

Emma turned in her seat, her mouth open in confusion and her fork still in her hand. "I made lots, and tomorrow's Saturday."

"You can never have enough," the brunette said already sliding Emma's half-eaten chicken into a tupperware. When she packaged all of the leftovers away, she gave an exaggerated yawn with a huge stretch of her arms. "I am beat. It's getting late, we should head to bed."

Emma turned to the clock. "It's barely 8, what are you doing?"

The school teacher simply smiled and walked to her room, shutting the curtain tightly.

Emma scrunched up her face wondering what the hell just happened. The sound of the curtain moving had the blonde look up to see her roommate stick her head out.

"And I need to wake up early tomorrow, so you can't watch TV or listen to music, and you should just go to your room."

Emma looked disgusted. "Please don't tell me Whale-"

"God, no!" Mary Margaret yelled out immediately before snapping her curtain shut.

"Okay," Emma said to herself confused. She grabbed the tupperware containing the chicken she had just been eating and stuck her fork in her mouth to use her free hand to carry a drink.

Normally Emma wouldn't eat in her room. Despite her bug being a mess, the blonde hated having crumbs in her bed, but apparently she was grounded for the night. She trudged up the stairs and used her elbow to flick on the lights.

Her mouth opened, her fork escaping its confinements and clattering to the ground, when she saw a large Snickers bar on her bed, resting on top of a small note.

She quickly set down her meal on her dresser and walked up to it, picking up the note to examine it. Her breath hitched. She'd recognize that script from anywhere. Her lips twitched in a pleased smile and her heart fluttered as she read over two little words, perfectly crafted on the paper.

I'm sorry.

It wasn't a declaration of Regina's past, but it was something, Emma knew. It was a huge something.

She shook her head at her funny roommate before placing the chocolate and note in her jacket pocket, swinging the coat to wear it. She ran down the steps, her boots clanging against the metal and grabbed her keys.

"Good luck." Mary Margaret poked her head out from behind the curtain with a pleased, mischievous grin.

Emma returned the smile before heading out.

* * *

 

This was unexpected, Emma thought as she sat on the porch of the mayoral mansion. Regina wasn't home. Her Benz wasn't in the driveway, and she could only assume Henry was with her.

Waiting had this strange effect to be both a buzz kill and able to heighten sensations. For fifteen minutes, Emma was feeling a roller coaster of emotions ranging from "this was a stupid idea" to "she's gonna be here any minute, what the hell am I gonna say?"

She didn't have time to think of an answer to that one when the Mercedes drove past the front and turned into the driveway. Emma stood, her hands dug deep into her jeans pocket.

Regina slowly made her way to the front of her house, expelling every ounce of confidence despite the clammy nature of her palms.

"Hi." Emma was the first to speak, backing up to make room for the brunette on her porch.

"Hello." Regina's voice was firm, but the wideness of her eyes told another story.

"Where's Henry?"

"He wants to go fishing with David tomorrow morning."

They stayed quiet, Regina not moving to go inside and Emma not moving to leave.

Emma pulled out the chocolate and the note, finally finding her voice. "I got your message."

"You didn't eat it?" Regina sounded almost nervous of the fact.

Emma exhaled a chuckle, embarrassed at her explanation. "I like to-"

"Keep special things," Regina finished for her. She continued when the blonde gave her a look. "I listen."

Regina stepped forward when Emma opened her mouth to speak, interrupting her train of thought. Their proximity was close enough to touch, but neither woman made the movement to do so. "I'm not very good at relationships."

"I know," Emma looked at her from under her lashes.

The blonde could see the physical strain the brunette was going through to get her words out. "I was in a loveless marriage, and my secret relationship, well, my fiancé died in the stables."

Emma winced feeling like a complete jackass. "I-"

"You didn't know," Regina put a hand on her arm. She kept Emma's gaze, her hand inadvertently squeezing the blonde's arm to feel her there, and despite her body language, her voice was polished like the politician she was. "I don't know if I can tell you everything about me before I got Henry, but I'll try because it wouldn't be terrible if we continued this."

Emma had to smirk. Even in apology Regina had to have her way. "Continued what?"

"Our relationship," Regina said obviously, taking the last step to close the gap between them, knowing exactly what Emma was getting at.

Emma leaned in closer, her head hovering mere inches from Regina's. "We're in a relationship now."

"Yes," the brunette spoke breathily meeting Emma halfway for their lips to meet in a searing kiss that was just purely lips. It was a start, Emma thought as she kept her lips firm against Regina's. One admission from the brunette was like winning the lottery, and Emma was lucky enough to get two out of her.

Emma took Regina's hand in her own, her voice low as she gazed intently at the woman pressed against her. "A kiss for every truth?"

"Who's using her body now?" Regina quipped.

* * *

 

"This is unfair," Regina moaned feeling Emma's lips suck at the base of her neck. Most of their clothes were discarded save for Regina's blouse which hung off one arm and Emma's panties.

The blonde was nestled in between the Mayor's accommodating legs before pulling her lips away. Regina's eyes flashed open, and she moved her hand to press Emma back against her. "That was a truth."

Emma smirked against the marked skin, using her tongue to sooth it from the biting she had forced upon it moments earlier. She had learned a lot about Regina in the last half hour alone. Naming Henry after her father earned the brunette a thorough licking in the shell of her ear, revealing she was homeschooled earned glorious teasing minutes on her hardened nipple, Emma sucking on it greedily. Emma propositioned one of the biggest truths of all when the blonde asked about her fiancé and was more than surprised and proud that, at the very least, Regina revealed he worked as the stable boy. She immediately lowered herself down Regina's body to lay feast to her aching core.

With every kiss, lick, and nip at cleverly selected locations, the blonde had brought her to the edge more times than she could count, not quite granting her release.

The Sheriff continued her assault on Regina's breast, using her free hand to massage the neglected one while her hips instinctively rocked against Regina's tender mound, Emma not even bothering to ask questions anymore. She knew it took a lot out of Regina, and she trusted that with time more and more of the brunette would be bare before her.

Her mouth moved to the neglected breast, giving it the same treatment while her fingertips moved lazily against the length of Regina's entrance, making the brunette gasp and shudder from anticipation alone. Emma kept her hand there, forever teasing the Mayor as she lengthened her body, licking up Regina's neck before pressing her cheek against the older woman's in an intimate gesture. The blonde relaxed some, kissing Regina's cheek before whispering hotly in her ear. "Thank you for opening up."

Insistent hands scraped up and down Emma's back to keep them close as Regina replied throatily. "In more ways than one?"

"In the best ways." Emma placed a hard kiss against the Mayor's mouth. Her fingers simultaneously drove into Regina, making the brunette groan in pleasure and dig her nails deep into Emma's back in satisfaction.

She widened her legs, her feet propped up on the bed bringing Emma deeper and deeper inside her. She matched the blonde's skilled little fingers thrust for thrust, using her hands to bring Emma's mouth back to hers when the blonde moved to ravish unmarked skin.

Regina went light-headed when every thrust of Emma's fingers moved in sync with the toying of her tongue. It was almost all too much before Emma used her free hand, and in a completely intimate gesture contrasting the ferocity of every other limb of her body, brushed a few sweaty strands of hair away from Regina's face to tuck them behind her ear. With that alone, Regina succumbed to the genuine loving that Emma provided for her. She ripped her mouth away from the blonde's but latched onto her ear lobe to keep her lips pressed against anything of Emma's as delicious shudders wracked every fiber of her body and filled every synapse of her brain with undeniable satisfaction and joy.

Emma removed her fingers, letting the wetness trail inside Regina's thighs before she massaged the brunette's hip close to her core to ease the delicious shudders the Mayor still had no control of.

"I think I love you."

Emma paused her movements and lifted her head to gaze down at the woman underneath her. Despite the lust still evident in her eyes from her orgasm, the vulnerability and hesitance was plain to see.

"Truth?" Emma asked quietly, her own green orbs matching the Mayor's.

Regina simply swallowed hard before nodding, her hands traveling to the back of Emma's neck just in case the blonde decided to flee.

In a quick move, Emma rolled over so she lay on her back, tugging Regina's blouse completely off and pressing her thigh firmly against Regina's sensitive flesh making the brunette moan and shut her eyes.

"I think I love you too," Emma whispered back, the same frightened expression on her face.

Regina snapped her eyes open and searched the woman's eyes beneath her much in the same way Emma had done to her moments before.

"Truth?" Regina asked slowly.

Emma grinned kissing the corner of the brunette's mouth, all semblance of panic gone. "Oh yeah."

Regina bit her lip to keep the pleased smile off of her face, but it was no use. She met Emma for a kiss, moving her own thigh in between the Sheriff's legs and pressed against Emma's wet panties, creating a friction against the younger woman's all too ready core.

They remained locked in the embrace as Regina moved them both to their side, their mouths never moving off each other's lips, jaw or neck as they kissed desperately with the new found knowledge that they could do this every day whenever they want and it'd be glorious and genuine.

Both women rocked against the thigh nestled between their legs, moving their hips in a wanton fashion building up the wetness between them. Regina gripped Emma's leg to wrap it firmly around her waist, opening up the blonde wider and pressing her thigh harder against Emma's panty-clad sex.

Regina knew Emma's clit was engorged based on the short, purposeful strokes and the circular motion Emma made with her hips, so Regina pressed harder, pulled her closer, kissed her deeper, in an attempt to give back everything Emma had done for her these last few months.

Finally Emma broke, pulling away from Regina's mouth to gasp for air and groan out loud as stars and fireworks appeared behind her eyes. It had never been this good between the two. It had never been this real.

Her hips still rocked against Regina's thigh, the brunette holding her close as Emma clawed at Regina's back to do the same. Regina peppered kisses from Emma's mouth, down her jaw line, following her carotid artery and along her shoulder, waiting for the blonde's breathing to even out. With each kiss, the truth, their freely given and unprompted admission, became more and more clear to Regina.

Emma lifted her head and after a heated gaze brought her lips back the brunette's where it belonged, nibbling softly on already swollen lips.

There was no more need for words, they both realized, for their kisses, hot and needy, sweet and insistent, held the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope that makes up for the lack of showing their first time. If anybody wants to know why, feel free to PM me or send me a message on Tumblr, and I'd be more than happy to show you the method to my madness.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Just wanted to note that this timeline doesn't include when the curse breaks. This story should wrap up a couple months or so before the curse breaks, and there's only another chapter left, so I just wanted to thank you guys again for the amazing support by reading, reviewing, favouriting and alerting the story or myself. You guys rock are seriously amazing, and I love every single one of you! This is our last Once-less Sunday, so fingers crossed we get through it!

Regina stretched deliciously easing the sore muscles that received such loving attention the night before. She remained on her side, studying the face of the blonde still sound asleep in her bed, her lips parted and a faint snore came from the back of her throat.

The Mayor was never one for sleepovers, but there was something about Emma that made Regina want to keep her close. She mused over the previous night's events feeling a warm blush creep to her skin.

It was never like that before. With every admission, Regina had exposed a secret of her life, a life she had vowed to run away from, but with Emma there, reassuring her presence with every kiss, every touch, every deep inhale, she wasn't as scared to turn around and take a look. It frightened and exhilarated the brunette to realize that she loved every second of it.

She gently tucked a strand of blonde hair behind its owner's ear, the same gesture that melted the Mayor's heart the night before. Her hand trailed down Emma's lithe creamy body, nails lightly scraping down the side of her abdomen. She furrowed her brow feeling raised skin just under her finger, and in the light of the rising sun, Regina could see past scars decorating Emma's body.

Why hadn't she noticed these before?

Perhaps it was because she didn't care to. After months of verbal foreplay that left both parties hot and bothered, their trysts had been carnal and full of lust.

She recalled how wanton their first encounter was. All it took was a look, or in Emma's case, blatant staring from across the conference room table. Regina, refined in the arts of keeping composure even in the most difficult situations, ignored the blonde's looks but let her know she knew of her game with a side smirk hidden on her face.

The day carried on with under the lashes looks from both women, strategically placed touches filled with promise and desire, until the tension grew to the point where the Mayor and the Sheriff were tumbling into Regina's bed nearly immediately after sending Henry to bed. It was hurried, desperate and full of satisfying release.

But it was nothing like this.

Regina never took the time to memorize the Sheriff's body, to find every freckle, every birthmark, or every scar. She lightly traced the one under her finger, flipping through her encyclopedia of Emma facts wondering which accident caused such damage.

The blonde stirred, curling inward towards Regina's warmth and draping an arm around an olive-toned waist. "Scaling a rusty fence," Emma muttered groggily, her eyes still closed as she leveled her head with the brunette's.

Regina took the hand resting on her waist and brought a few fingers closer to her mouth. Emma slowly opened her eyes, thinking the brunette was going to kiss her palm but was surprised when she brought her fingers just over her upper lip and trace a deep scar etched there. "Fell from a tree."

From the distant tone in Regina's voice, Emma knew that wasn't the story in its entirety, but it was enough for the blonde to cup Regina's jaw and use her thumb to trace over the mark. Without much thought, Emma moved in to kiss Regina, leaving their lips pressed together for a moment longer.

* * *

 

The sound of the shower woke Emma up an hour later. The couple had drifted off from their earlier wake, and Emma sat up, not bothering to cover herself up when she heard a soft sound that made her grin.

Regina really did sing in the shower.

It didn't surprise Emma that it had taken this long to actually hear her voice, but a part of her almost didn't believe the brunette when she admitted that little fun fact so early in their email exchange. The blonde was tempted to go in as she searched the room for the articles of clothing they had methodically removed the night before, but her plan was dismissed when she heard the shower turn off, and the door to the master bathroom creep open, releasing a mist of hot air and the lingering scent of apples.

Emma paused in putting on her shirt to gape at the dripping brunette with slicked back hair in a large terry cloth robe, leaning in the entrance way on her hip.

"See something you like, Sheriff?"

Emma smirked, sensing Regina's game. She knew the quickest way to disarm the woman in her power play was to catch her off guard, so Emma simply sat on the bed, wiggling her jeans on and casually looked over at the Mayor. "I like your voice."

Regina quirked an eyebrow not expecting that response but quickly recovered and sauntered over to Emma, nudging her way between the blonde's legs and tugged her chin up, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Truth?"

Emma grinned wide, her hands automatically finding purchase on Regina's waist. "No, I just wanted a kiss. You're kind of flat."

The brunette rolled her eyes and slapped Emma's shoulder before turning to her walk-in closet.

"But I uh. . ." Emma faltered as she stood, stuffing her hands into her pockets, a sure sign of the Sheriff's nervousness.

Regina turned her head when the blonde paused. "You what?"

Without the cloak of darkness or the pent up emotions surrounding the two women, Emma wasn't sure if what they had said the night before still remained true. She was tempted to bring it up, but she didn't want to scare off the brunette if she was wrong.

Emma coughed to herself before digging her toe into the carpet, eyes averted and mumbled. "Love you."

Regina stared at her briefly before dropping the dress she was holding up and walked over to Emma, grasping her chin and kissing her with all she had, her tongue finding its way home in Emma's mouth.

"Me too," Regina whispered before Emma caught her lips again.

* * *

 

"Somebody's giddy," Ruby said placing a hot chocolate in front of the Sheriff. "Let me guess. You got lucky."

Emma rolled her eyes at her friend, but she couldn't stop the smirk that automatically formed on her face.

"I think now would be a good time to thank me."

The blonde set her drink down and spoke pointedly though the slight jab in her voice didn't go unnoticed. "Thank you, Ruby, for making a fake dating profile and using all of my characteristics, but listing me as a man, and earning me a slap from my girlfriend." She couldn't help but twitch her lips upwards at the title.

"I didn't tell you to talk to Regina. That's you being suicidal," the waitressed dismissed. "You can thank me by giving me a raise."

Emma laughed. "Not gonna happen."

"Okay," Ruby shrugged. "Then do me a favour."

"What favour?"

"Don't get married for six months," the brunette said absolutely serious.

Emma sputtered the drink she had just consumed, but the waitress wasn't even fazed as she grabbed her dish towel and began cleaning up the Sheriff's mess. "What?"

Ruby simply grinned. "You'll thank me one day."

"You keep saying that."

"Have I been wrong yet?"

* * *

 

"Henry," Emma looked up from her desk to see the boy dressed in his school uniform enter her office. "What's wrong?"

He just shook his head and plopped down in a seat across from her desk. "I'm supposed to be distracting you for a couple hours before you come over. It's a surprise."

Emma tilted her head in curiosity. "What kind of surprise?"

Henry just shrugged and removed his phone from his pocket, immediately playing one of his many games.

"What happened to my accomplice who was able to get me intel?" The Sheriff questioned her son with a poke to his cheek.

"Mom's secretive."

Didn't Emma know it. The past few days since their official union had brought the couple to a whole new level of intimacy. She'd been having dinner and sleeping there every night for the past five days and only really returned to her apartment to gather some clothes. Despite the need for a slower pace, Emma noticed Regina had made such a progress.

For the past few days, the family found themselves in a routine with Emma helping Regina make dinner on most nights, followed by sitting up in their bed, Regina fiddling with her hands in her lap and Emma waiting, her own palm pressed reassuringly against the older woman's back as Regina shared more and more of her past.

_Her relationship with her mother was strained, her father gave up everything for her, her lover's name was Daniel._

Most nights Emma could physically see the conflict behind hazel eyes, but as soon as her lips met Regina's, the fear was gone.

It was a lot to ask from Regina, she knew, but the sheer fact that the brunette had opened up to her, for her, made Emma's heart soar.

Henry had fully immersed himself in his game, and with nothing to do – rather not wanting to do any paperwork – Emma turned towards her computer and opened up her emails. If she was going to slack off, she might as well look busy.

_Evening, MadameRegal, I hear you have a surprise for me._

**That's a name I haven't heard in a while. Do you still go by KnightInRustyArmor or have you found something more suitable?**

_It's growing on me, though I have found someone who shines me up once in a while. Again, I ask, surprise?_

**Sounds like a lucky lady. There's a reason I didn't tell Henry, now why would I tell you?**

_Because you love me._

**Not that much.**

_You wound me._

**I'm sure your lucky lady will patch you right up.**

_What if I want you to do it?_

**Then you'll have to wait until later on, now won't you? I'll see you at 7. Do not feed Henry any more sweets like you did last time you brought him home.**

_I didn't!_

**He told me.**

_He lied._

**A trait that runs in the family?**

_Ha ha. That was like three months ago. Give me a break._

**At 7.**

Emma scowled at her email and glared at her son. "No more candy for you."

Henry looked up from his game and looked shocked. "Why?" He complained.

"'Cause you got me in trouble with your mom."

* * *

 

Emma and Henry arrived at the mansion promptly at seven to the smell of burgers and sweet potato fries wafting through the air. Emma's mouth parted as Regina exited the kitchen, removing her apron and bent down to place a kiss on Henry's head.

"Go wash up," she motioned him towards the washroom before straightening and holding back a smug smile at the blonde.

"You made my favourite food," Emma pointed to the older woman and the direction of the kitchen.

"I told you I listen," Regina said and held out a hand which Emma took immediately, their fingers naturally intertwining together.

"This is my surprise?" asked the blonde pleased once they entered the kitchen, sneaking a fry into her mouth.

Regina pursed her lips at the action but dismissed it, scraping the rest of them into a serving bowl. "Not quite."

"There's more?"

"I'll show you after Henry goes to sleep." Regina said casually and grabbed the platter of burgers and the bowl of fries then move quickly into the dining room.

Emma followed with a curious but suspicious tilt to her head. "Well, that I can't wait for."

* * *

 

Emma was impressed that Regina had made her favourite meal. She knew the brunette was health conscious and made sure her son was the same way, but it was a nice surprise coming home to her girlfriend doing something out of the ordinary just for her.

After Henry was finished with his homework and sent to bed, Emma sidled up behind Regina, her arms wrapping around the older woman's waist and placed a kiss under her ear, pleased with the shudder she received from her. "Henry's asleep."

Regina turned in her arms, smiling with her eyes before trailing her hands down Emma's torso to take the blonde's hands into her own. "Come."

The numerous scenarios running through Emma's mind didn't prepare her for when Regina pulled them past the stairs and into the living room.

" _Here_?" Emma asked with wide eyes glancing between the couch and Henry's door at the top of the stairs.

Regina squinted confused at the blonde and merely pointed the remote at the TV. The screen came to life with the Kill Bill Vol. 2 menu screen filling the flat screen.

Emma's laughed out loud. "No way. You hate Tarantino."

The brunette merely shrugged and sat on the couch, her legs curled under her. "Coming?"

Emma grinned and sat down beside the Mayor, not hesitating to wrap an arm around her and pulling her closer.

* * *

 

Emma huffed lying on the couch, aimlessly flicking through channels on the television. Mary Margaret sat at the dining table, quietly grading tests. The blonde twiddled her thumbs bored, barely registering the sitcom that was playing.

Out of guilt, Emma returned back to her apartment with plans on keeping her roommate company, but all she could think of was that she could be bored at Regina's house. The brunette's surprise a few nights back made Emma grin.

When Regina loathed something, she either avoided it like the plague or ruined it beyond repair, Emma being the only exception, so for the Mayor to sit through two hours of graphic fighting and directing symbolism was a huge sign saying Emma was something special to her.

She had gotten so used to staying at the mansion that it almost felt like she lived there, which didn't seem like a terrible idea if Emma was honest to herself. She basically lived there already, and with Regina letting her in a fraction more each day, she could honestly imagine such situations occurring.

Thankfully, the beep of her phone came and immediately distracted the blonde from her inevitable boredom death.

**Where are you?**

_My place._

**Why?**

_I live here._

_Miss me?_

**No. It was just a sudden change of routine that's all. Henry even set a place for you for lunch.**

_You miss me._

**And your childlike persistence seeps through.**

_It got you. What are we having for lunch?_

**You're not here?**

_Did you open the door to check?_

_Oh my god you did. I'll be there in a bit._

**No. You're uninvited.**

_Come on. I can make it up to you ;)_

**Enticing. What do you plan on doing, Sheriff?**

Emma grinned and bolted up from the couch. She sprinted to her room and shut the door, dropping herself onto her bed.

_Well I didn't mean to trick you now, but maybe you opened up the wrong door._

**Mmm, you're not in the basement.**

_Nope._

**If I were to check my bedroom?**

_You'd be out of luck._

**And if I descend the stairs, heels clicking on the hardwood signalling my arrival to my office.**

_There I'd be, on top of your desk, waiting expectantly, raking you in with my eyes. I motion with my head to come in, and you do. The door clicks shut with finality. You look rather predatory, Ms. Mills._

**My prey's right in my sights, waiting to be pounced on. I saunter over keeping your gaze locked on mine. It's not hard to do.**

_I smirk and pull you to me, my legs wrapping around your waist and not even waiting to catch your lip between my teeth. My hand travels down to your ass and gives it a squeeze._

**I growl pushing firmly against you before pressing kisses all the way to your ear. My hand fings the claps of your jeans, unbuttoning it and sneaking my hand down your front.**

_Impatient, are we?_

**You have been gone for a full eighteen hours.**

_Counting now?_

**I could just stop.**

_I grab your wrist, pressing you further against me._

**Good girl. I latch my lips around your clothed breast, pleasantly surprised you’re not wearing a bra. The material thins and I can see how ready you are. Have you been waiting long?**

_Too long._

**Just wait a little bit more ;)**

_What?_

_Regina!_

Emma slammed her phone on her bed and took three deep breaths, squeezing her legs together to ease the ache that had grown there.

She could take a cold shower, but she wasn't about to miss out on anything should the brunette come back. So Emma groaned and flipped onto her back and waited.

* * *

 

Half an hour went by and still no return of Regina.

The blonde scowled, feeling slightly more irritable and slightly less satisfied as she picked up her phone.

_Where did you go?_

**In the shower**

_The shower now? Is it unlocked?_

**Maybe**

_And if I slipped in there, with the heat from the water fogging up the mirror and stall until I can only see your silhouette._

**What are you talking about?**

_What are you talking about?_

**It's Henry. Mom's in the shower.**

Emma's eyes widened, her mouth open in shock and embarrassment and partial disgust.

_Oh god, kid delete these messages right now._

**Why? What are you doing? Why aren't you here? You missed lunch.**

_Henry, delete!_

After five minutes of no response, Emma's breathing evened out thinking she was in the clear. That is until her phone beeped.

**Did you send that message to Henry?!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: GREAT NEWS! I underestimated my muse, and instead of this being the last chapter, you can most certainly expect another one from me. I've got it written up, so I will post the final chapter in a day or two. Also, this chapter features SQ sexytimes, so if that's not for you, feel free to skip past it. You guys are seriously amazing. This is everyone from those who have been with this story from day one to newcomers just tuning in now. Thank you so much for all this love!

 

"Come on, it wasn't _that_ bad," Emma conceded to Regina that night as they made dinner.

The brunette stopped the washing of the vegetables to face the Sheriff. "You _sexted_ our son."

Emma scrunched up her face in pure disgust as she turned over the sizzling pork chops. "Can you stop phrasing it like that?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear," Regina quipped, resuming her washing. "I thought it wasn't 'that bad'."

Emma shuddered at the thought and shook her head to clear her mind. "What were you doing in the shower anyway? We were in the middle of something."

"A cold shower was in order," the brunette said simply.

"Oh, really?" Emma smirked. "Why didn't you just call me over?"

"I wouldn't want to take away your precious time with Ms. Blanchard now." Regina refrained from rolling her eyes at the school teacher's name as she moved to chop the green onion.

"I'm pretty sure Mary Margaret is used to my absence now," the blonde responded and switched stations to continue whipping the mashed potatoes.

"Is she, now?" Despite her flat tone, Emma heard the intrigue behind the brunette's question.

"Yeah, when she does the laundry, she puts my clothes back in the duffel."

"And what happens when she posts an ad for a new roommate?" The Mayor smirked plating the dishes.

"Probably live in my car," the blonde answered smartly. "Ever had sex in the back seat of a beetle?"

Regina turned and glared at Emma who leaned against the counter stifling a laugh. She grabbed the newly prepared platters, eye rolling at the Sheriff before heading into the dining room.

"Oh, come on, I was kidding," Emma called after her grabbing the glasses. "Kind of."

"About what?" Henry walked into the dining room and sat at the head of the table.

"It seems Ms. Swan will be homeless," Regina said pointedly to Emma, who just smirked and sat beside her son. Regina leaned over the two of them, serving both Henry and Emma before taking a seat across from the blonde.

"Why?" Henry looked shocked. "Did you walk into the washroom while Ms. Blanchard was in the shower too?"

Emma choked on her water, simultaneously avoiding the worried gaze of her son and the glare of her girlfriend.

"You can live here!" Henry looked between both mothers at his brilliant idea.

The thought hung in the air between the family, neither women confirming nor denying whether it was a good idea despite the fact their relationship already resembled such.

"How's school?" Regina quickly distracted the boy as he sprung into detail about his new writing project.

* * *

 

As if to prove some sort of point, Emma found herself spending more nights in her own bed back at the apartment than with Regina at the mansion. Why she thought this was a good idea, she'd never know, but after the first night away from the brunette's warmth, Emma was ready to call it quits and pick up her two boxes of belongings and ask to move in.

But she didn't want to push Regina into something she wasn't ready for. They had been together for a while now, even longer if their email exchange was anything to go by, and Emma sure as hell counted that, but she didn't want the brunette to recoil and bring those walls up again. Maybe if she just moved her stuff in one by one, Regina wouldn't notice. Emma snorted to herself at the idea but grinned when her phone started ringing.

* * *

 

Regina was bored. She'd decided to take a bath after breakfast once Henry was off to his session, but the house was far too quiet for her liking. By now on a Saturday, Emma would just be waking up.

Regina didn't know why she had willingly agreed when Emma suggested she stay at her place more often, so as not to give Henry the wrong idea, of course, but she had gotten so used to waking up beside Emma's blonde tangles, and how she tried to keep them in bed just a little longer in the mornings, or how they'd both turn down the sheets at night and curl around each other, ready for bed.

Agreeing probably wasn't the smartest idea Regina had, but was she about to ask commitment-fearing Emma Swan to move in with her so soon? Perhaps she could find a way to evict Mary Margaret forcing Emma to find a home elsewhere, the mansion specifically.

The combination scent of bubbles and vanilla candles did little to ease the brunette's tension of being all too aware that her home was empty. Wiping off a soapy hand, she leaned over the tub to retrieve her phone, dialing the blonde and settling into the tub. If Emma wanted to live with the teacher, she'd let her know what she was missing.

"Morning, Sheriff," Regina said huskily, "you're up early for once."

Emma chuckled into the phone. "Yeah, I forgot Mary Margaret likes to go on early morning hikes on the weekends."

"Ah, now I see why you spent so much time at my house," Regina replied with mirth, lifting a long, toned leg to scrub a loofah over it.

"I do need my beauty sleep," the blonde replied. "Are you in the bath?"

"I am," the Mayor said sultry.

She heard the bed creak on Emma's end. "You are?"

There was no denying the hitch in the Sheriff's voice.

"Mmhmm." She crossed her ankle over her raised leg and smirked when she heard walking on the line.

"Doing what?"

"What do you normally do in the bath, Emma?" The sultry sound of her voice was overtaken with condescension by her blonde counterpart's ridiculous question.

"I can think of a few things," the Sheriff replied without missing a beat.

Regina grinned again and settled deeper into the tub. "Oh, really?"

"Haven't we learned our lesson in phone sex?" The younger woman quipped.

"I never needed one."

"Come on, you never caught someone in a compromising position?"

Regina squinted hearing the start of an engine on Emma's end of the line.

"What are you doing?" She sat up realizing Emma was not about to play her game.

"Not avoiding a question. Compromising position?"

Regina faltered briefly before answering in a more quiet tone. "Someone I trusted caught Daniel and I in the stable."

"Oh," Emma replied just as quiet. "Remind me to kiss you when I see you."

"And when will that be?"

"When do you want it to be?"

"Well these bubbles are going to waste," Regina drawled.

"Is that an invitation, Madame Mayor?" Emma asked, her tone as suggestive as her statement.

"It is whatever you'd like it to be," Regina purred. "Though I am leaning towards one particular option more than others."

"I can't possibly imagine what that would be."

"Perhaps you're not as imaginative as I'd hope," the brunette replied smartly.

"Maybe, but I can damn well take a hint." The slam of her bug sounded and another door opened.

"What are you doing?" She could hear heavy running on the blonde's end.

Regina looked up with a shriek when her bathroom door pushed open, and Emma stood in the entrance with a cocky smile on her face and her phone pressed to her ear. "Hanging out with my girlfriend."

Regina smirked, her heart still beating quickly from the scare before ending the call and placing it back on the counter. She only managed to stand halfway by the time Emma had her arms wrapped around her wet and soapy waist.

The brunette moaned into the kiss, her arms automatically wrapping around the blonde's neck and pressing her wet torso against Emma's. The t-shirt the Sheriff was wearing began to damp at their proximity, but neither woman cared. She gasped into the younger woman's mouth when she felt Emma's hands move from their waist and grasp just under the brunette's ass and lifting her out of the tub.

She clung to the blonde, keeping her head in place with her hands, their tongues dueling happily before Emma surrendered, allowing the brunette to take over on that front.

Emma, however, squeezed Regina's backside in her palms as she carried her out of the washroom, not even bothering to dry the older woman and instead pressed their fronts together, her own clothes absorbing the wetness.

She set Regina down on the bed, hovering over her and intertwining their fingers together, holding the Mayor's hands over her head as she nipped at her pulse point. "Mmm, vanilla."

Regina chuckled throatily, using her jaw to nudge at Emma's head, catching the blonde's lips when she looked up. She gave her mouth a thorough once over before pulling back. "Mmm, chocolate."

"Opposites attract," the Sheriff smirked, her eyes twinkling with mirth before she reared up on her knees, removing her jacket and damp shirt.

Regina sat up, licking a trail up Emma's taut stomach, grinning when she felt the skin underneath her tongue tense and shudder in anticipation. Long fingers wove through her hair as the fire inside them raged on. Spurred on by this encouragement, Regina directed her track to the hem of Emma's jeans, fumbling with the belt in her lust-filled haze.

"Making me work for it, Sheriff?"

Emma looked down at Regina and lowered her head an inch away from her. Their hearts thudded in their chest as their hot breath mingled in the space between them. She pecked the older woman once, then twice. "You can have me whenever you want."

Regina stared up at her in wonderment and a hint of disbelief. Not that she didn't believe Emma was good on her word, no. But she almost couldn't believe how serious Emma was, how much she laid herself open and vulnerable just to talk to Regina. She expressed her gratitude in a way she knew how and kissed Emma with full force, holding the back of her neck with one hand while removing the belt and clasp of her jeans with the other.

The blonde helped her kick off her jeans, her underwear following suit, all the while they still remained attached at the lips. She sat on the bed, pulling Regina into her lap as the brunette eagerly shifted forward, the heat emanating from their cores was almost too much.

"You're wearing too much," Regina breathed against Emma's mouth as her fingers moved to the back of Emma's bra to remove the clasp.

Emma took the opportunity to take one of Regina's erect nipples into her mouth, chuckling at her statement. "It was just a bra."

"Too much." Regina moaned into Emma's touch, arching her back to push her breast further into the blonde's mouth.

Her skin was on fire. Everywhere Emma touched, every place her lips met, every time she tugged Regina closer until her sex was rubbing against Emma's flat stomach became her new favourite spot to be touched.

She rocked herself against Emma's stomach a moment longer before she willingly pulled back just a little bit to sneak her hand in between them, her fingers sliding home in Emma's wet heat.

The blonde shuddered at the sudden intrusion, whispering Regina's name before closing the space between them and mimicking the Mayor's motion, finding Regina's clit and rubbing it with the heel of her palm.

Their breathing synchronized, their movements quickened, and with every thrust and rub and quick pant, they rose higher and higher until they fell over that delicious precipice, drawing out the other's orgasm as long as possible while maintaining constant contact, Emma biting down on Regina's shoulder while the brunette sucked hard at the base of the Sheriff's neck.

By the time their breathing evened, Emma lifted her head, kissing the bite she had made and was frankly shocked she didn't break skin. She lifted her hand to smooth back the wet and sweaty hair that matted to Regina's cheek, tucking the lock behind her ear.

She smirked when the brunette cleared her throat to hide her blush. "You forgot to kiss me."

Emma grinned and met Regina halfway, their lips moving in synchrony. She halted the kiss, keeping their lips pressed against each other's. "How could I forget that?"

"You must have been preoccupied." The brunette whispered, playing with a strand of blonde hair between her fingers before capturing Emma's lips once more.

* * *

 

Regina used a towel to mop up the mess she and Emma had made when the blonde had lifted her out of the tub hours earlier. Despite the soaked towel, Regina couldn't find it in her to get mad at how the events unfolded. She rolled up the sleeve of her blouse to fish her hand into the still filled tub and released the stopper, letting the water escape before picking up the towel and tossing it in a hamper.

"Have you seen my phone?" Emma asked walking in, now fully dressed with the exception of her jacket. She moved around creams and face masks from the counter and double checked Regina's to see if they had switched.

"Where'd you have it?"

"In here," Emma groaned, feeling like she lost a limb of her body. She walked back to the entrance to face Regina. "I had the phone, you were in the tub, I walked over to you and-"

Emma walked towards the tub finding her phone at the bottom of the porcelain. Regina joined her and had to admit that she gasped as well. The blonde reached in to grab the dripping wet device, pushing the button on it and praying it would turn on.

It didn't. "Dammit!"

Regina grabbed the phone from her, examining it as if she could magically repair it. She handed it back to the blonde. "I'd say you got the better end of this deal."

She smirked and exited the washroom with a sway of her hips.

* * *

 

**BrownEyedGirl01:** How long until a new one comes in?

_Knightly84:_ Could take two to six weeks. They won't even give me a loaner phone.

**BrownEyedGirl01:** Why not? You're the Sheriff. You need to be available for contact all the time.

_Knightly84:_ Because we live in Storybrooke, Maine. I've got the lines rerouted to my place, plus we still got email.

**BrownEyedGirl01:** Yes, the citizens of Storybrooke will send you a 911 email. Marvelous idea.

_Knightly84:_ It wasn't my fault you're so enticing.

**BrownEyedGirl01:** It's your fault you have a loose grip.

_Knightly84:_ I had a firm grip on more important assets ;)

**BrownEyedGirl01:** Flattery will get you everywhere.

_Knightly84:_ How's it doing with you?

**BrownEyedGirl01:** It's sitting well. Dinner's at 6 tonight. Can you pick up a block of cheese on your way?

_Knightly84:_ Yeah, we need bread too.

**BrownEyedGirl01:** We have whole wheat.

_Knightly84:_ I don't like whole wheat.

**BrownEyedGirl01:** So you are going to buy a loaf of bread that only you will touch?

_Knightly84:_ That's the plan.

**BrownEyedGirl01:** Fine. Go back to work, Emma.

_Knightly84:_ I'm waiting for my virtual kiss.

**BrownEyedGirl01:** I love you.

_Knightly84:_ That'll do.

**BrownEyedGirl01:** Don't be late.

_**BrownEyedGirl01 logged off.** _

* * *

 

Regina looked up when she heard the front door open and the light pitter patter of Henry crossing the foyer.

"Hey Mom," he said placing a paper bag full of some groceries on the table.

She pushed back his hair affectionately in greeting before rifling through the bag. "Where's Emma?"

"She wanted me to tell you that she has to stay at the station because Leroy and his buddies were seen at Jack's, and Emma needs to be on standby just in case, but she'll email you tonight," he reiterated the memorized speech.

She pursed her lips and couldn't help but feel like her girlfriend was always working. She shook it off to smile for Henry. "Lasagna tonight?"

* * *

 

After a week of being phone-less and having to stay late at the station to man the lines or be at the apartment in case the calls got redirected, Emma and Regina were only able to communicate via email or IM. It was like they were back in their email exchange days except Emma couldn't check hers at all hours of the day like she used to.

It seemed, however, that she wasn't the only one feeling the separation. Regina found the blonde at Granny's diner picking up lunch, and when Emma turned around, she knew she was in trouble, though for what she wasn't sure.

"Why aren't you answering your emails?" Regina demanded.

"I'm getting food." The Sheriff held up the bag as proof.

"You can leave your precious station to pick up lunch, but you don't have time to stop by for dinner?" The brunette folded her arms questioningly across her chest.

"I told you, the station forwards the calls to my landline," Emma sighed exasperated.

"Maybe your landline should be at my house." The words were out of Regina's mouth so quickly she didn't have time to catch them.

"What?" Emma questioned, wondering if she heard right.

"She wants you to move in with her," Ruby, who had been obviously watching since Regina entered the establishment, filled in for her friend with a pleased grin.

Emma glared at the waitress, silently telling her to butt out. She turned back to Regina, tugging the brunette to the corner to give them distance between her eavesdropping friend.

"Are you being serious?"

Regina blushed and held herself tighter, purposely avoiding the Sheriff's scrutinizing gaze. Emma stepped closer, tugging her chin up to face her. She spoke firmly. "If you're serious, I'd love that."

Only Emma caught the small upturn tilt of Regina's mouth before she cleared her throat and nodded. "Yes. We'll make the arrangements."

Emma laughed and took her lover's hand in hers, leading them out of the diner. "Are we doing a business transaction?"

"More like an investment," Regina said meaningfully, staring straight ahead as they walked. She looked down to hide her pleased smile when Emma squeezed her hand in agreement.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: As sad as this is for me, this is the end of this crazy Swan Queen ride. I am so grateful to all of you. I originally had this planned to be 9 chapters, and now look where it is. You've read the story, alerted it, favourited it, made fanart for it, shared it all over Tumblr, made it the first SQ fic to reach 1000+ reviews, made it the most favourited story for SQ, made it the most followed story in the OUAT fandom on FF, and it is truly all thanks to all of you. When I said you guys are amazing, I wasn't lying. None of that would have happened without you guys, and for that, I humbly give you the last chapter of Incoming Messages.

Regina picked up a loaf of white bread, placing it in her basket as she shopped around the grocery store with Kathryn. Emma had moved in the weekend before, and between her and Henry's growing appetite, the two would most likely eat her into bankruptcy.

"So how are things?" Kathryn asked, picking up a loaf for herself. "If it weren't for these trips, I would never see you."

"They're going great." The brunette chuckled at that. "I've asked Emma to move in with Henry and I. We've managed not to kill each other in that week's span."

The blonde furrowed her eyebrows, confused at her friend's admission. "Hasn't she been living with you for a while now?"

"No," the brunette answered confused.

Kathryn laughed. "Well of course you haven't killed each other." She continued when Regina raised a questioning eyebrow. "You two have been practically living together for nearly two months."

"What is that supposed to mean?" The Mayor asked defensively.

"Nothing, Regina." They continued their walk down the produce market. "It's no secret Emma's car has been parked in your driveway since you two began dating."

Regina pursed her lips realizing Kathryn's statement to be true.

"But _you_ asked _her_?" The blonde questioned.

The Mayor nodded once. "I did."

Kathryn grinned widely, revealing so much about Regina's transformation from that smile alone. "Are you happy?"

Regina faltered slightly at the question before answering in a quiet tone as if not wanting others to know she had finally found happiness. "Yes."

Her friend beamed, grasping her arm. "You deserve it."

* * *

 

Emma sat on the couch with Regina's legs in her lap. The older woman was leaning against the arm rest invested in a novel while Emma had her laptop resting on top of Regina's legs, checking her emails. She made a face at the computer. "Huh."

"Hmmm?"

"It's from Singlebrooke." She turned the screen to face the brunette. "They want KnightInRustyArmour and MadameRegal to come in and talk about their success story."

Regina laughed once. "How do they know who we are?"

"I filled out a survey," Emma answered. She shrugged at Regina's amused look. "I was bored at work."

"So?" Emma closed her laptop and moved it to the side to face the brunette. "Want to go in?"

* * *

 

"Come on! It's starting!" Henry yelled from the couch as his mothers walked into the living room with a bowl of popcorn for the boy.

"It's just an interview, kid," Emma reminded sitting on the left side of him.

"But you and Mom are in it."

"I knew we shouldn't have gone in," Regina mumbled and took up the free side beside her son.

"You should have seen everyone's face when they saw the Mayor walk in," Emma smirked, nudging Henry who grinned up at his brunette mother.

The boy was giddy as he pressed play on the remote, playing the DVD the dating website had sent the couple.

_An upbeat jingle played as the camera zoomed in on a balding man in a plaid shirt who was all smiles. "Hi! I'm Hart Archer, founder and CEO of Singlebrooke Dating Service. Still skeptical about online dating? Well your worries are over. Take a look at some of our success stories who have found that charming something to bring the magic back in their life."_

_Hart winked before the screen cut to Emma in a lavish seating area. On the corner of the screen it read:_ Emma Swan aka KnightInRustyArmour, Law Enforcement, matched with MadameRegal.

_Emma sat awkwardly, fidgeting in her chair. "I actually didn't sign up. A friend did it for me, and she already got her thank you for it. And extra vacation time."_

_It switched to Regina, her caption reading:_ Regina Mills aka MadameRegal, Politics, Relationship status: taken _"I didn't expect to find someone so quickly. I certainly didn't expect it to be Emma."_

_Emma appeared on the screen again. "I cheated. I actually knew it was Regina and sought her out. Does this still count as a success story?"_

_"We communicated via email and instant messenger for a month before we decided to meet." Regina explained._

_"I chickened out the first time we agreed to meet, but lucky for me she can't resist my charm." Emma smiled into the camera._

_Regina appeared again. "Did she say that? I did resist it. I'm just humouring her."_

_"She said that?" Emma smirked and looked directly at the camera. "She dropped the L-bomb first."_

_Regina glared past the camera at Hart who recounted Emma's words. She stood up._

_"Where are you going, Ms. Mills?" Hart asked as Regina stood and removed her microphone._

_"Emma!"_

_The clip cut to both women appearing on screen sitting side by side on a loveseat._

_"We've been together for three months now," Regina said, grinning at Emma._

_"Five." The blonde amended._

_The brunette turned to her, forgetting they were supposed to look good for the camera. "It was three."_

_"You're totally excluding our email exchange."_

_"Yes, because that doesn't count," the Mayor said firmly. "I didn't speak to you for a month."_

_"Not directly. I sent you those notes."_

_"Ah, your stalker phase. How could I forget?"_

_"The emails totally count. It started it all," Emma kept pressing._

_Regina huffed. "Well if we're going by your logic then we've been together for seven months."_

_Emma grinned wide, staring into Regina's eyes. "Mine incident?"_

_The brunette rolled her eyes before turning back to the camera. "We've been together somewhere between three and six months."_

Henry laughed at the caption that appeared on the screen while the women bickered: _They're always like this._

Regina looked over at Emma at that and was rewarded with a smirk and shrug before turning back to the screen.

_"How serious are we?" Emma asked back to the unseen interviewer. She looked at Regina, shrugging slightly. "I've moved in with her for a couple weeks now."_

_"That seemed to be the easiest part of our relationship," the brunette admitted._

_Emma laughed. "It's true."_

_"What's in store for you two now?" Hart asked off-screen._

_The women caught each other's eye, and judging by the way their shoulders moved, they were clearly holding each other's hand. "I'd say we're pretty serious," Emma whispered to the brunette._

_Regina smiled with her eyes and nodded her agreement. "Very serious."_

_"A good serious."_

_The jingle returned and the screen panned to Hart back in his office. "Well there you have it. Love is in the air in Storybrooke, so don't hesitate on finding your one true love."_

Emma laughed as the screen blacked out. "Let's keep this."

Henry furrowed his brow. "They think they're going to get people to sign up for their website by showing you two fighting on screen?"

The laugh between the two women couldn't be helped. The family stood, cleaning up the fallen popcorn Henry had managed to spill in the short time span. Regina took Emma's hand as they brought their snacks back into the kitchen. "Is that what we look like when we fight?"

"Apparently," Emma said with a smirk. "I see what Ruby means now."

"And what does Miss Lucas mean?"

"You glare and get really close to me, 'mentally undressing me', as she says."

"Mmmm, like this?" Regina took a step forward pressing up against the blonde.

Emma's hands automatically found purchase on the small of Regina's back as she tugged her closer. "A little more closer and a little less mental undressing."

"Just the physical kind?" Regina's lip twitched saucily.

Emma closed the gap between their mouths, taking in Regina's bottom lip into her mouth.

"Gross," Henry said as he returned the bowl of popcorn.

The women took a step back, blushing profusely, though Emma kept her arm around the brunette's waist.

"They should have showed that in the video," Henry thought aloud. "That's True Love."

Regina breathed out a laugh before taking the bowl from her son, turning her head to catch Emma's meaningful gaze.

True Love, huh? Emma thought as she watched the older woman tend to their son. She found herself grinning goofily, watching as Henry helped Regina put the dishes in the dishwasher. She could believe that.

* * *

 

"Hey stranger," Mary Margaret greeted when Emma walked into her classroom during the brunette's lunch. "So she lives."

Emma grinned and grabbed one of the student's chairs to seat it in front of Mary Margaret's desk.

"Now I could get used to seeing that on your face," the school teacher motioned to Emma's smile, making the blonde blush.

"Stop it," Emma dismissed embarrassed. "How's the roommate hunt?"

The brunette shrugged. "It's going. How have you been?"

Emma beamed just thinking about how far she had come with Regina. They were breaching their six month anniversary (or four or eight, depending on what scale they were using), and to both of them, it was a huge deal. Not only had they lasted this long in a moderately healthy relationship, there was no stopping their constant bickering, but they helped each other grow as women. Emma had never felt like that before, so securely attached to another person that everything just made sense being with them, but she had that with Regina, and she was sure the brunette felt the same way.

"I've been good." She leaned forward and handed over a file tab to her friend. "I've been really good."

Mary Margaret took it and opened the file, her eyes widening. "Is this-?"

Emma nodded. "Can you proof it?"

"Are you sure?" Her friend leaned forward and whispered in a hushed, excited tone.

Emma smiled and nodded her answer confident. "Yes."

* * *

 

Regina sat at her desk, typing reports and checking emails. She received a text from Emma mentioning that she may or may not be able to go to lunch today. The vagueness made her squint, but as the files piled on her desk, the Mayor didn't have time to comprehend it. Instead, her secretary paged her signalling her 11 AM appointment had arrived. Regina quickly finished her report before signalling to her secretary to send them in.

She straightened files on her desk and looked up surprised when Emma walked in, oddly well dressed in black slacks and a button up blouse. She looked absolutely serious holding a folder under her arm. Was she wearing that this morning? Shaking it off, Regina smiled at her. "Does this mean you may be attending lunch? You'll have to wait. I've got an appointment waiting for me."

Emma lifted her file and sat in front of Regina. "That's me."

The brunette tilted her head in confusion. "You're my 11 o'clock?"

Emma nodded again, her throat moving up and down as she gulped.

"You don't need to make an appointment to see me."

Emma laughed at that, easing the tension in her shoulders. "This one is kind of important."

"What is it?" The expression on Regina's face was a mixture of concern and worry.

Wordlessly Emma handed over the file and leaned back in her chair, watching the Mayor's expressions under her lashes.

Regina opened it, her mouth parted in shock.

_RE: My Promotion_

_Objective: To get the opportunity to be your wife where I can utilize my skills in order to make you happy every day, pick you up when you're down, and to break down those walls whenever you feel trapped._

_Qualifications:_

_\- Still have a shoulder to cry on_

_\- Still able to lend an ear_

_\- Still have a hand to high five_

_\- Lips to kiss_

_\- Arms to hold you up_

_\- A heart that beats faster when you're around_

_\- Unavailable for babysitting in the hopes that those dates will be with me_

_\- Will watch Nicholas Sparks whenever you want_

_Experience:_

_Regina Mills: April 2011 – present and future?_

Regina looked up to the blonde who was fidgeting with her hands. Her mouth remained parted, but she cleared her throat and set the resume aside. Sitting up straighter, she folded her hands over her desk. "Ms. Swan, you seem to be missing a few things."

Emma looked up confused but caught on rifling through her pocket. She stopped when Regina held up her hand. "Where's your cover letter?"

"My what?"

"A page briefly describing why you'd be fit for the position," the Mayor explained in her authoritative tone.

Emma eased when she saw the slight inflection of Regina's lips tilt upwards. She sat up and straightened her posture. "As my resume states, I have numerous qualities that will be an asset to you. Those traits aside, I believe I'm the best one qualified because of the passion I have for you."

Regina blushed momentarily looking away before Emma leaned over the table and caught her hand, forcing her to turn back. "I am determined to make sure you smile every single day, to remind you that I am here for you, all of you, dark past or not."

The brunette inhaled a shaky breath before attempting to steady her voice. "How are you with children?"

"Some say I am one," Emma smirked. "Henry likes me."

Brown eyes caught green, and Regina stared deeply into them searching for any hint of hesitance. "Do you love me?"

Emma smiled, squeezing the hand in hers and spoke with absolute confidence. "I love you."

Moisture clouded Regina's vision before she quickly blinked it away and straightened, her authoritative tone back in her voice. "I suppose there's an opening for-"

She couldn't finish her quip. Not when Emma stood and tugged her up, leaning over the desk to cup Regina's face and pull her in for a deep and sensual kiss. It was long minutes before they parted, Regina almost clawing at the blonde's collar to pull her closer. Their faces remained within a hair's breadth of each other before Emma whispered. "Was that a yes?"

"It would have been if you had let me-"

Emma didn't let her finish this time either. Instead, she moved around the desk and pulled Regina to her, their tongues colliding as they pressed fervently against one another. Their desire, passion, and love for each other filled them with this ever present warmth and knowledge that this was where they were supposed to be.

* * *

 

Mary Margaret sat smug at the counter at Granny's. She usually ordered a heart smart platter for breakfast, but today, she had decided to treat herself and ordered almost a little bit of everything. Only Emma knew that the petite woman could pack food away so ferociously. She smirked into her tea mug when Ruby came by with the bill.

"Nope," the teacher said.

"What do you mean no?" Ruby asked, her hand on her hip.

"You owe me breakfast for a month," Mary Margaret stated simply.

"No, I-" She gasped when she realized her meaning.

The pixie cut woman just flourished her head to the side motioning towards Regina and Emma who were sitting at the far end of the counter. In the glow of the morning light, something sparkled off of Regina's left hand as she raised her mug of coffee to her lips. Ruby gasped out loud, causing the couple and most of the diners in close proximity to glance up at the waitress.

"You okay, Rubes?" Emma asked concerned.

"How long have you two been dating?" Ruby asked bluntly.

Emma looked at Regina in a silent agreement on the date. "Six months on Wednesday."

"Dammit!" The waitress groaned, glaring at the smug look on Mary Margaret's face and ignoring the confused look of the Mayor and the Sheriff.

"Told you," Mary Margaret said sipping her tea.

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you guys had as much fun reading as I had writing! It's going to be sad to let this one go. As for a potential sequel and the exploration of their relationship after the curse breaks, I really would love to delve into that relationship even more, and I'm leaning towards it. However, I want to see how season two plays out first before I promise a sequel to this. Again, thank you so much to everyone. You guys are phenomenal, and you are why the Swan Queen fandom is the greatest. You guys rock!


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